The Trump administration announced a proposal to change how the federal government protects threatened and endangered species in the United States.
The plan removes a long-standing “blanket rule” that has given automatic protections to species once they are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
The Endangered Species Act, enacted in 1973, aims to prevent the extinction of animals and plants at risk. Under the law, species are listed as “endangered” or “threatened.”
For decades, federal regulations have treated most threatened species in a manner similar to endangered species. A general provision known as the “blanket 4(d) rule” has extended many of the same protections to threatened species, including limits on killing, harming, or harassing listed species and restrictions on habitat destruction.
The Trump administration proposal removes this automatic protection for newly listed threatened species. Under the change, threatened species will no longer receive default safeguards.
Administration officials describe the plan as an update to the regulatory process. Wildlife agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service will gain more discretion to determine which protections apply to each threatened species rather than relying on a single national standard.
The proposal does not alter the legal definitions of “endangered” or “threatened.” It does not remove species from federal lists. It affects only the process used to determine protections once a species receives a threatened designation.
