Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the Trump administration is beginning the formal process of rewriting its rules for listing threatened and endangered species; protecting critical habitat; and coordinating among government agencies under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Christy Goldfuss, senior vice president for Energy and Environment Policy at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement in response:
These proposed changes are further evidence that the administration and its allies in Congress are determined to undermine this critical bedrock environmental law. Since the ESA was passed more than 40 years ago, its use has successfully kept 99 percent of listed species from going extinct. But instead of continuing the hard work needed to conserve a healthy and vibrant environment for our kids and grandkids, this administration is working to further imperil the more than 1,600 threatened and endangered species in the country today.
The Trump administration’s attacks on the ESA will make it more difficult for agencies to protect threatened species and support recovery efforts. These dangerous actions will further accelerate the loss of species and habitat in stark contrast to the explicit purpose of the law.
For more information or to talk to an expert, please contact Sam Hananel at [email protected] or 202-478-6327.