Endangered Species Act Protections Restored by Federal Judge
The Facts
A US federal judge in California has restored a range of protections under the Endangered Species Act that were removed under Trump in 2019.
Trump-era changes to regulations included rolling back restrictions designed to protect endangered species and allowing federal agencies to factor in economic assessments when deciding whether to protect species, among other measures.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This court decision is a win for environmental and conservation groups as well as climate activists. With Trump's limitations on the desperately needed ESA gone, endangered animals stand a better chance at survival in the fight against climate change.
Establishment-critical narrative
Despite the Biden administration's desires to revise or rescind much of Trump's changes to the ESA, it must be noted that more restrictive regulations aren't always better for helping wildlife. Trump-era rules removed regulations that were counterproductive and the ESA doesn't do enough to tackle the issue that most endangered species live on private land.