Biden administration finalizes reversal of Trump Endangered Species Act rollback

[babylonsister]

Biden administration finalizes reversal of Trump Endangered Species Act rollback
by Zack Budryk - 03/28/24 12:44 PM ET


The Biden administration on Thursday announced a finalized update to Endangered Species Act (ESA) rules that advocates say reverses some Trump administration rollbacks but fails to fully restore them.

In 2019, the Trump administration made a number of alterations to the ESA rules, including adding language to protection criteria to allow consideration of economic impacts on industry for the listing.

Earthjustice Vice President Drew Caputo called the 2019 rule an “industry wishlist” and credited the Biden administration for removing the economic impact provision, which he called “directly contrary to the spirit of the statute.”

The finalized rule also restores protections for species classified as “threatened,” a less severe category than “endangered.”

The initial proposal was issued last year and received more than 450,000 public comments.

“These revisions underscore our commitment to using all of the tools available to help halt declines and stabilize populations of the species most at-risk,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Director Martha Williams said in a statement. “We will continue to use the best-available science when implementing the ESA — including when making listing and delisting decisions, designating critical habitat, developing protective regulations for threatened species, and consulting on federal actions.”

more...

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4561827-biden-administration-finalizes-reversal-of-trump-endangered-species-act-rollback/

[Karadeniz]

1. Yay !!!