Trump administration weakens Endangered Species Act amid global extinction crisis

The White House says the changes “modernize” the law. No Images? Click here         Editor's note: As the United States and other nations grapple with the rise of far-right movements and white supremacy, HuffPost is relaunching our Fringe newsletter to keep you informed about the latest news on political extremism. Subscribe to it here.   Trump Administration Weakens Endangered Species Act Amid Global Extinction Crisis​ Three months after leading scientists warned that humans have driven up to 1 million species around the globe to the brink of extinction, the Trump administration has finalized a sweeping overhaul of the Endangered Species Act, weakening one of America’s most important laws for protecting imperiled plants and animals. The new rules, unveiled on Monday, change how federal agencies implement portions of the conservation law, making it easier to remove recovered species from the protected list and opening the door for more drilling and other development. It also scraps the “blanket section 4(d) rule,” a provision that automatically extends the same protections to plants and animals listed as threatened as the act affords those listed as endangered, and revises how agencies go about designating habitat as critical to species’ long-term survival. The changes, first proposed in July 2018, allow federal agencies to consider economic factors when making decisions about granting species protections, which the law has previously explicitly prohibited, and potentially limit their ability to account for the impacts of future climate change.  The administration has said the overhaul will “modernize” and “improve” the law, lifting regulatory burdens while continuing to protect species. READ MORE       WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING? Attorney General William Barr says the Justice Department has already found “serious irregularities” at the federal jail where Jeffrey Epstein took his own life over the weekend. READ MORE The Department of Homeland Security officially published a change to what’s known as the “public charge” rule on Monday that would make it much harder to apply for a green card or earn a visa. READ MORE The United States would enthusiastically support a no-deal Brexit if that is what the British government decided to do, U.S. national security adviser John Bolton told reporters on Monday. READ MORE             ICYMI Extremism experts and law enforcement alike thought the brutality seen at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017 might signal the beginning of the end for white supremacist movements across the U.S. Instead, hate and white supremacy have been allowed to thrive.  So, you want to boycott a Trump donor? Here's the big gun reform idea getting attention from 2020 Democrats.     Want more?  Ohio Legislators Accidentally Legalized Pot, Say Law Enforcement Experts New Rules Can Deny Green Cards For Immigrants On Food Stamps 5 Years After Ferguson, The Justice Department Has All But Ended Federal Police Reform   👋You may have noticed our website is now www.huffpost.com. Don't worry, it'll still be the same HuffPost you know and love, just with a new URL. Make sure to update your bookmarks!     HuffPost is now a part of Verizon Media Group. On May 25, 2018 we introduced a new Oath Privacy Policy which will explain how your data is used and shared. Learn More. How will Trump’s administration impact you? Sign up for our email and find out. Did a friend send you this? Subscribe here. Like what you see? Share it. Want more? Here are two other newsletters you'll love: The Morning Email and Must Reads. ©2019 HuffPost | 770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003 You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from HuffPost Feedback | Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe    .     .   - - Preferences  |  Unsubscribe