380,000+ Oppose Trump Administration Effort to Roll Again Endangered Species Act Protections

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Proposed guidelines would undermine nation’s most profitable conservation regulation

Washington D.C. — Greater than 380,000 Individuals, together with 17,000 Sierra Membership supporters, submitted feedback in opposition to a set of proposed guidelines from the Trump administration that might roll again protections for imperiled animal and plant species throughout the USA and undermine the nation’s most profitable conservation regulation. The Sierra Membership additionally joined Earthjustice and dozens of advocacy teams in submitting a technical remark letter through the remark interval.

“The Trump administration is stopping at nothing in its quest to place company polluters over folks, wildlife, and the setting. However Sierra Membership supporters aren’t shopping for it. Greater than 17,000 of our members spoke out to defend the Endangered Species Act and clarify that weakening this bedrock environmental regulation is unacceptable,” mentioned Ben Greuel, Wildlife Marketing campaign Supervisor on the Sierra Membership. “After failing to dump our public lands and waters, this administration is now making an attempt to greenlight the destruction of essential wildlife habitat and push endangered species nearer to extinction. For many years, the Sierra Membership has fought to uphold the Endangered Species Act, and we are going to proceed to face up for wildlife and wild locations, and the legal guidelines that shield them.”

The Trump administration’s guidelines would basically weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) — a regulation liable for saving 99% of species beneath its safety from going extinct together with bald eagles, Florida manatees, humpback whales, and polar bears. The ESA can also be instrumental in safeguarding ecosystems that people depend on for all the things from entry to wash water, the pollination of crops, and the improvement of medication. Moreover, the ESA stays overwhelmingly common, with greater than 4 in 5 Individuals in help of the regulation.

The administration held a 30-day public remark interval, which concludes as we speak. Scientists and religion leaders have been among the many lots of of 1000’s of people that voiced their opposition to the proposed guidelines.

Conservation and animal welfare teams whose memberships embody hundreds of thousands of individuals all through the U.S. issued the next statements:

“These proposed modifications to the ESA are a giveaway to billionaires and can probably trigger imperiled species to face extinction at a time after we ought to be strengthening protections,” mentioned Kristin Combs, Government Director for Wyoming Wildlife Advocates. “Extractive industries stand to revenue on the expense of species on the brink through the sixth mass extinction.”

“If this administration was severe about reducing crimson tape, they’d give companies the assets they should get the job accomplished, not depart them powerless to satisfy their mission,” mentioned Ramona McGee, a senior lawyer and Wildlife Program chief on the Southern Environmental Legislation Heart. “That is half of a bigger, coordinated effort to place polluting industries forward of wildlife, the environment, and the American folks.”

“The Trump administration’s merciless try and weaken protections for imperiled crops and animals has been met with an enormous wave of opposition,” mentioned Ben Levitan, Earthjustice senior lawyer. “In just one month, lots of of 1000’s of Individuals have spoken as much as defend the Endangered Species Act. This assault on the ESA is not only in regards to the hurt it will carry to wildlife and ecosystems, it’s additionally a menace from the Trump administration to violate the regulation and ignore the favored will to be able to serve well-connected particular pursuits. Earthjustice will proceed to do all the things in its energy to defend this bedrock environmental regulation.”

“The Endangered Species Act has been on the forefront of defending wildlife for over 50 years, saving practically all listed species within the U.S. from extinction. The administration’s proposals to drastically weaken the ESA’s implementing rules threaten this observe file, and can have grave penalties for animals, crops, ecosystems and human well-being,” mentioned Jane Davenport, senior lawyer at Defenders of Wildlife. “These proposals are trigger for alarm not solely to conservationists, but in addition to the American public. The administration ought to withdraw these proposals as inconsistent with the ESA’s mandate that science, not politics, information its implementation.”

“A whole bunch of 1000’s of Individuals simply delivered a easy message—don’t intestine the Endangered Species Act,” mentioned Rebecca Riley, Managing Director at NRDC. “The ESA has saved 99% of listed species whereas safeguarding the clear water, wholesome ecosystems, and pollinators our communities depend on. Weakening these bedrock protections would drive wildlife nearer to extinction and put folks in danger. The administration ought to hearken to science, the regulation, and the general public and withdraw these harmful rollbacks.”

“As soon as once more, President Trump is attacking the weakest — this time endangered species — to place cash within the pockets of billionaires,” mentioned Susan Holmes, Government Director of the Endangered Species Coalition. “This overwhelming response from the American public displays what we now have identified for many years: the Endangered Species Act is certainly one of our nation’s only and hottest conservation legal guidelines, and Individuals don’t wish to see it dismantled. The general public clearly rejects Trump’s excessive anti-wildlife proposals that ignore science, undermine protections which have saved 99 p.c of listed species from extinction, and put each the wildlife we treasure in danger. The message couldn’t be clearer: the Endangered Species Act have to be defended and strengthened, not rolled again.”

“During the last 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has protected 99% of the listed species, which is a unprecedented achievement that has traditionally been celebrated throughout the political spectrum,” mentioned Katherine Miller, U.S. Nation Director for FOUR PAWS Worldwide. “This vital regulation has saved iconic animals equivalent to bald eagles and grizzly bears within the U.S. and helps shield endangered species equivalent to tigers and orangutans across the globe. However this success is beneath menace. Weakening the ESA would erase many years of progress and threaten the existence of susceptible wildlife worldwide. The Endangered Species Act works, and we should shield it.”

“Radicals throughout all branches of the federal authorities wish to strip our bedrock environmental and wildlife safety legal guidelines of their energy and efficiency, and we gained’t stand for it,” mentioned Chris Allieri, Government Director, NYC Plover Challenge. “This isn’t the desire of the folks. It’s unscientific, unfounded, and unethical. The Endangered Species Act works and wishes no amendments. That is clearly a last-minute rush to destroy wildlife and ship fragile species on a path to extinction on the eleventh hour of 2025.”

“Efforts to roll again the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is irresponsible and reprehensible,” mentioned Elizabeth Purcell, Environmental Coverage Coordinator at Turtle Island Restoration Community. “We all know the ESA works. We have now witnessed species get well due to the protections the ESA supplies. Prioritizing business acquire and permitting financial pursuits to override science-based choices about endangered species safety is reckless. We should shield the ESA and all species who depend on it.”

“The proposed guidelines characterize a blatant try to show again the clock on science and the progress made over the past 50 years in saving lots of of species and hundreds of thousands of acres of habitat,” mentioned Nadia Steinzor, Carnivore Conservation Director at Challenge Coyote. “The Administration is ignoring the truth that a big majority of Individuals need stronger protections for wildlife and the setting, which profit everybody—no more hurt to wildlife and nature so a couple of can revenue.”

“These guidelines aren’t about effectivity or reform, they’re about reducing the bar for extinction,” mentioned Josh Osher, public coverage director for Western Watersheds Challenge. “The general public response makes clear that Individuals perceive precisely what’s taking place right here, and they’re rejecting an administration that treats vanishing species as collateral injury.”

In regards to the Sierra Membership

The Sierra Membership is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental group, with hundreds of thousands of members and supporters. Along with defending each individual’s proper to get outside and entry the therapeutic energy of nature, the Sierra Membership works to advertise clear vitality, safeguard the well being of our communities, shield wildlife, and protect our remaining wild locations by grassroots activism, public training, lobbying, and authorized motion. For extra info, go to www.sierraclub.org.