1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik issued new guidance interpreting the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on “taking” endangered wildlife much more narrowly. Under the new interpretation, an action generally has to be intentionally directed at the protected animal to qualify as an illegal take. For example, if you bulldoze over protected burrowing owls, but your reason for bulldozing wasn’t to kill the owls, their deaths would not necessarily constitute a prohibited take under this interpretation. Please stop this.