The Biden administration took definitive steps on Thursday, announcing the restoration of significant protections for endangered and threatened species, countering policy changes made under the Trump administration. The move reinstates regulations that automatically extend protections to newly classified threatened species, reversing a 2019 action that favored industry interests amid global acceleration in species extinctions due to habitat loss and other environmental pressures.
Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams emphasized the rule changes as a sign of the agency’s “commitment to using the best available science to halt population declines” in the face of threats such as climate change, habitat degradation, invasive species, and wildlife diseases. These regulatory revisions underscore a resolve to safeguard biodiversity, as the imperiled status of species like the North American wolverines, alligator snapping turtles, and spotted owls becomes increasingly dire.
A key aspect of the reinstated protections is the exclusion of economic considerations when determining the need to protect animals and plants. This principle is crucial for ensuring that decisions about the welfare of species are made on ecological grounds rather than being influenced by potential economic impacts. Additionally, the rules simplify the process for designating “critical habitat” for a species’ survival, even in areas they no longer inhabit, which could be a lifeline for species like imperiled fish and freshwater mussels in the Southeast.
Despite the administration’s commitment to conservation, the changes have ignited opposition from Republican lawmakers, who argue that the Biden administration is prioritizing environmental protection over economic development, particularly in the energy sector. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman has criticized the Endangered Species Act as outdated and ineffective, insisting that the recent changes fail to promote species recovery and instead undo necessary reforms.
Notably, many of the rollbacks under the Trump administration had been criticized for being based on faulty science. Decisions, such as the one to open up millions of acres of forest potentially to logging, were reversed following acknowledgment of these critiques. Moreover, federal courts have also stepped in to restore protections, as was the case with gray wolves across much of the U.S.
However, environmentalists, while acknowledging the progress, express concerns that the Biden administration’s actions do not entirely reverse the Trump-era changes and that some provisions that could be detrimental to habitat conservation remain intact. There is also a sense of urgency among conservation groups, who worry about the potential for a future Republican administration to ease protections again after the 2024 elections.
The Endangered Species Act, signed into law by President Richard Nixon in 1973, is heralded for helping save numerous species from extinction, including the bald eagle and the California condor. With more than 1,600 species under its protection in the United States and its territories, the Act continues to be a cornerstone of the nation’s conservation efforts, despite ongoing debates over its implementation and impact on various industries.
Relevant articles:
– Biden administration restores threatened species protections dropped by Trump
– Biden Admin Reinstates Protections for Threatened Species, Reversing Trump’s Rollbacks, Oneindia, Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:21:25 GMT
– Biden administration moves to restore endangered species protections dropped by Trump, The Associated Press, Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT
– Biden admin to strengthen endangered species protections, E&E News by POLITICO, Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT