1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

Destroying an endangered species’ nest or habitat will no longer be considered illegal under the Endangered Species Act. Read that again. The Trump administration has rolled back a decades-old interpretation of the law that protected wildlife not only from direct killing, but also from habitat destruction that prevents animals from finding food, shelter, or breeding grounds. For more than 50 years, the Endangered Species Act recognized significant habitat damage as a form of “harm” to endangered species — a definition the U.S. Supreme Court upheld in 1995. The administration argues the rollback will reduce regulatory burdens. But by removing that protection, the administration is opening the door for more development, farming, drilling, and mining in areas that endangered species rely on to survive. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.