The Biden administration has reinstated federal protections for imperiled species that were weakened during the Trump presidency, reversing policies critics said prioritized economic interests over conservation. The move restores key safeguards under the Endangered Species Act, impacting hundreds of vulnerable plants and animals across the United States.
The rollback of protections under the Trump administration, initiated in 2019, had narrowed the scope of habitats considered “critical” for endangered species and limited the consideration of potential threats like climate change. These changes, environmental advocates argued, undermined the core purpose of the 1973 Endangered Species Act – to prevent extinction. The restoration of these protections aims to refocus conservation efforts on preventing harm to species, rather than reacting to it.
During his first term, Trump officials also diminished protections for specific species, including the northern spotted owl and the gray wolf. A 2021 reversal of the spotted owl decision followed findings that Trump’s appointees had relied on flawed science to justify increased logging in the West Coast’s forests.Similarly, a federal court restored wolf protections across much of the U.S. in 2022.
“The Services are required to prevent harmful consequences to species, not ignore them,” stated a representative of the Biden administration.
The Endangered Species Act currently safeguards over 1,600 species in the U.S. and its territories. Since its enactment by President Richard Nixon, the law has been instrumental in the recovery of iconic species like the bald eagle and the California condor, demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing extinction. The renewed commitment to the Act signals a return to prioritizing biodiversity and long-term ecological health.
