The Biden administration on Thursday reinstated crucial protections under the Endangered Species Act that were rolled back by former President Donald Trump. This move grants the federal government greater authority to designate plants or animals as threatened or endangered, emphasizing the importance of scientific input in conservation decisions.
Signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1973, the 51-year-old Endangered Species Act has been instrumental in saving iconic species such as the bald eagle and the California condor from extinction. However, in 2019, the Trump administration amended the law to reduce costs for taxpayers and businesses, considering the economic impacts on industries like mining and timber when designating species as threatened or endangered.
With the reversal, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated that \"listing decisions and critical habitat designations are based on the best available science.\" Martha Williams, the agency's director, added, \"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.\"
The Trump administration's changes faced backlash from environmental groups, who criticized the rollback for prioritizing economic concerns over scientific data. Trump's Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had defended the amendments, asserting that they aligned with Trump's goal of easing regulatory burdens without compromising protection and recovery objectives.
In contrast, Bruce Westerman, the Republican chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, condemned the rollback, labeling the Endangered Species Act as outdated and accusing Biden of undoing essential reforms. \"These rules are at best political posturing,\" Westerman stated.
Beyond reinstating key protections, the Biden administration also brought back the so-called blanket rule, which ensures that species and habitats designated as threatened receive the same level of protection as those classified as endangered when appropriate.
John Calvelli, executive vice president of public affairs at the Wildlife Conservation Society, welcomed the decision. \"Conservation work is never done, as 1 million species are at risk of extinction,\" Calvelli commented. \"The Biden-Harris administration's steps today to strengthen the Endangered Species Act, ensuring science is at the center of decisions to protect wildlife, is great news for all of nature.\"
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Biden restores endangered species protections rolled back by Trump
cgtn.com
