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The Trump administration is proposing a significant change to the Endangered Species Act
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and would come from redefining just one word in the law. Under the Endangered Species Act, it is illegal to harass, kill or harm a protected animal
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The word harm has historically been interpreted to include habitat destruction, which affects a species' ability to survive and reproduce
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Trump's proposed change would narrow that definition, only prohibiting actions that directly injure or kill animals
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but not those that degrade their habitats. The administration says the update is intended to adhere to the single best meaning of the law
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and also cited the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's dissent in a 1990s case
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which challenged the legislation's broader definition of harm, with Scalia arguing the Endangered Species Act should not cover actions
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that indirectly cause injury to an animal's population. However, some conservationists warn the federal government's proposal
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could lead to increased habitat loss, which they claim is the single biggest cause of species going
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extinct. Experts at the Center for Biological Diversity argue altering the Engagered Species
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Act will open the door for more logging, mining and development in areas these species rely on
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The potential definition change is now open for public comments, which must be submitted
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by Monday, May 19th. And legal challenges are also expected if this revision moves forward
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For Straight Arrow News, I'm Jack Elmer
