Administration Delivers Devasting Blow to National Park Species Recovery

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration’s elimination of major habitat protections from the Endangered Species Act (ESA) delivers a devastating blow to national park species recovery, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. The administration’s final rule alters how “harm” is defined under Endangered Species Act (ESA) – a definition that has been in place for decades and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This change in how agencies carry out the law undermines species’ recovery and could accelerate the destruction of habitats on park-adjacent land that wildlife, plants, and fish rely on.

This final Trump rule rescinds the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s and National Marine Fisheries Service’s definitions of what counts as illegal “harm” to threatened and endangered wildlife under the ESA. “Harm” has long been defined to include significant habitat modification that kills or injures species by removing necessities such as food and shelter.

“Destroying or damaging habitats is just as lethal to endangered species as directly hurting them, said Bart Melton, senior wildlife program director for the National Parks Conservation Association. “This change in how the law is carried out defies common sense, science, and paves the way for mining, oil and gas drilling, logging, and development in areas that are crucial to the survival of some of our most vulnerable species. This rule ignores decades of conservation science and could undermine recovery efforts for more than 600 species, from salmon in Olympic to grizzlies in Yellowstone, that rely on lands and waters connected to our national parks.”

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan, National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.