Friday, August 07, 2026
Thursday, August 06, 2026
Wednesday, August 05, 2026
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
"Trump announced his administration is rolling back protections under the 1973 Endangered Species Act, claiming “radical climate activists” had exploited the law to unreasonably block oil, gas, timber, housing and military activities. The change relaxes the legal definition of “harm” to habitats, reversing an interpretation the Supreme Court upheld in 1995 to protect spotted owls; Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the law had become a “regulatory trap,” while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said it would benefit fishermen burdened by broad regulations. Environmental groups strongly condemned the move: Earthjustice’s Kristen Boyles said there’s no scientific, legal, or public support for it, and advocates from Oceana and the Center for Biological Diversity warned it could be a “death sentence” for species like monarch butterflies, wolverines, and Florida manatees, since habitat loss is the leading cause of extinction. The rule change was first proposed last year and formally adopted in July before Trump touted it publicly this week." Aaron Parnas