ESA Rollback Risks 1,700 Species, 99% Success, 8 Populations Left

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Trump administration's new proposal redefines "harm" under the Endangered Species Act, limiting protections to only direct killing or collecting of endangered species.

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The rule change threatens to strip habitat protections that have been crucial for preventing extinction of vulnerable species like the Gunnison sage-grouse.

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Wildlife experts warn this rollback could open critical habitats to logging, mining, oil drilling, and development projects previously restricted.

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The Gunnison sage-grouse faces "significant negative ramifications" with only eight populations remaining, all teetering on extinction's edge.

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Legal experts note this proposal directly challenges a 1995 Supreme Court ruling that authorized agencies to stop indirect harms to protected species.

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The Endangered Species Act has protected over 1,700 species since 1973 with a 99% success rate in preventing extinctions.

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Environmental advocates have promised legal challenges while the public has 30 days to comment on the controversial proposal.

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