endangered species

Individuals and industries may kill endangered animals in the course of logging projects, developments and other activities, it said — so long as the activity’s purpose isn’t killing species.

Supporters say plan helps ranchers, but opponents criticize process and say wolf populations aren’t fully recovered.

Several state attorneys general on Wednesday sued the Trump Administration over what they call unlawful and immoral changes to the Endangered Species Act.

The Trump administration finalized a major change to the Endangered Species Act, rolling back protections for the forests, wetlands, deserts and other critical habitats that many plants and animals rely on.

The administration announced last week it would be rolling back its definition of "harm" as applied to regulatory protections for threatened species and habitats.

The alterations came during President Donald Trump's first term, after he ordered a rollback of "unnecessary regulatory burdens."

Prompted by two Trump executive orders, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing changes to its Endangered Species Act rules, including one that would potentially reduce protections for species considered to be threatened.

If approved, the proposal by the Trump administration would rescind the regulatory definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act and clear the way for habitat destruction.

A 2-year-old forestry project is on hold while the Bitterroot National Forest checks to see whether the project activities would affect threatened species.

Regional monitoring for endangered owls, salmon and frogs is done by seasonal biologists who aren’t being hired now under a federal freeze