A Republican Congressman from Florida sent a letter to the Trump Administration Monday criticizing its plans to weaken protections for endangered species.
The White House's latest proposal to roll back the Endangered Species Act would eliminate automatic protections for threatened species, lessen requirements for scientific review, and reduce consultation with federal agencies before approving permits for things, like oil and gas drilling.
In a press release, Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Sarasota) called the latest move “an assault against nature."
He wrote a letter urging the secretaries of interior and commerce to reconsider the plan.
Click here to view Buchanan’s letter.
Buchanan said these safeguards have kept these animals alive for nearly half a century.
He noted the recent United Nations report showing that one million species of plants and animals are now threatened with extinction across the globe.
