Trump plans to make it easier to build in areas protected by Endangered Species Act, White House official says

Source: CBS News

Updated on: April 16, 2025 / 4:41 PM EDT


President Trump plans to overhaul the Endangered Species Act to make it easier to build in the U.S. where endangered species live, a White House official confirmed Wednesday. The president has voiced frustration with the 1973 law and similar environmental protections, saying environmentalists are impeding growth. Real Clear Politics first reported Mr. Trump's plans to overhaul the law. A White House source was granted anonymity as the announcement is not official.

It's not yet exactly clear how Mr. Trump would alter the use of the law, since only Congress can change or repeal it, but it would likely come through the federal rule-making process. The law was established to protect species of wildlife, fish and plants that have been depleted enough to be in danger of extinction. Last week, the president directed agencies regulating energy and the environment to sunset a number of environmental protections, among other steps to curb environmental protections to spur construction and economic growth.

One step the administration is considering is to repeal the definition of 'harm,' which would remove nearly all habitat protections for endangered species across the country. Currently, if any business or activity harms a protected species, it's a violation of the law, as established by the ESA. The law defines "harm" as including "any activity that can modify a species' habitat." Loss of habitat is the single greatest threat to most species, since many aren't "taken" or killed to the point of extinction.. By eliminating this legal definition of "harm," it would clear the way for many forms of economic development, including logging, oil and gas drilling, or critical mineral mining that could eradicate a species, environmentalists say.

"We'll go to court to fight as many of these rollbacks as possible," said Brett Hartl, director of government affairs for the Center for Biological Diversity. "The federal government is large and they're throwing everything at the wall hoping to overwhelm us, but we'll do our damnedest to make sure nothing becomes permanent."

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-plans-to-change-endangered-species-act-protections/