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Trump moves to gut endangered species rule
The gist
The Trump administration finalized repeal of the ESA's "harm" definition, deleting habitat protection.
Twenty states and D.C. sued over stripped habitat safeguards species need.
How it unfolded
- 1973The Endangered Species Act, a landmark law to conserve imperiled animals and plants, was enacted.
- Apr 2026The rule rescinding the long-held definition of "harm" under the ESA was first proposed.
- Jul 2026The administration finalized the repeal; the US Fish and Wildlife Service deleted the definition of "harm."