Environmentalists are expressing their concerns that the Endangered Species Act could be gutted if proposed revisions are approved.
The proposed rollback would eliminate the definition of “harm” that includes habitat destruction. This would essentially prohibit only actions that directly hurt or kill actual animals, not the habitats they rely on.
Many environmentalists fear this would severely weaken the law, and it could make it easier for industries to encroach on land that is needed for threatened species that are already reeling from ongoing development in Florida.
Sarah Gledhill is president and CEO of the Florida Wildlife Federation and said that the act has made a big difference for a multitude of species.
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"Since its inception 50 years ago, the Endangered Species Act has helped so many species recover from significant habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, including the Florida panther and our beloved Florida scrub jay," she said.
Gledhill said if this revision passes, it could potentially be catastrophic for much of Florida's threatened plants, fish and wildlife.
"With ongoing development pressure here in Florida, we cannot afford a weakening of the Endangered Species Act. If so, we risk irreversible losses for future generations to enjoy our state's rich diversity of plants, fish, and wildlife," she said.
Under the Endangered Species Act, it’s illegal to “take” endangered species — a term long interpreted to include harming them by modifying or degrading their habitat.
The Trump administration is proposing to eliminate the definition of “harm” from federal regulations altogether. The administration has justified the change by referencing the Supreme Court’s 2024 Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, which limits deference to federal agencies.
The Center for Biological Diversity also issued a report identifying 10 endangered animals at risk from the proposal.
The 10 species, including Florida panthers, eastern hellbenders, chinook salmon, manatees and spotted owls, all face serious threats to the places they live, the center said in a prepared statement. Trump’s proposal would push these 10 species even closer to extinction by allowing industries to mine, log, bulldoze, pollute and otherwise destroy their habitat. But virtually all endangered animals would be gravely harmed by the plan.
“The Trump administration is threatening the survival of some of America’s most iconic animals with this devastating habitat proposal,” said Noah Greenwald, endangered species co-director at the Center. “You simply can’t protect species without protecting the places they live, and Trump’s radical plan might be the end of the Florida panther or the spotted owl. It’s incredibly sad and disturbing to see this administration pressing fast-forward on the extinction crisis.”
You can submit a comment to the Federal Register here by May 19.
You can also submit a comment by U.S. mail to: Public Comments Processing, Attn: FWS-HQ-ES-2025-0034, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/3W, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
