The Endangered Species Coalition (ESC) is encouraged by today’s announcement by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration to revise, rescind, or reinstate five Endangered Species Act protections that were stripped by the prior administration,” said Leda Huta, Executive Director.
ESC and our member groups have worked tirelessly to stop these Trump-era rules that severely weaken implementation of the Endangered Species Act, said Huta. In May, ESC sent a letter from 117 member groups, urging the Biden Administration to reverse former President Trumps Endangered Species rollbacks. The following day, ESC and our member groups met with Martha Williams, Principal Deputy Director of FWS and several other staff to discuss our priorities.
Today’s announcement is a victory for imperiled species, their habitat, and the conservation community and comes at a critical time. We are in an extinction crisis—scientists estimate one million species of plants and animals could become threatened with extinction, leading to devastating impacts on humans globally. The Endangered Species Act is a crucial tool to combat species extinction and hailed as one of the most important conservation acts ever passed. Its strong implementation will benefit biodiversity and improve the health and safety of communities.