Biden seeks to restore endangered species protections Trump removed

• President Biden seeks to restore endangered species protections dropped by Trump.
• He hopes to promote biodiversity in the US.
• The US Fish and Wildlife Service moves to restore regulations.

Flora and fauna play an important role in the preservation of ecosystems, which is why their protection is an issue that concerns us all. Now President Biden seeks to restore the protections for endangered species that Trump had eliminated in 2019.

The Biden administration proposed on Wednesday to revive the rules to protect threatened plants and animals in the United States, and officials mobilized to reverse the changes ordered by then-President Donald Trump that weakened the Endangered Species Act.

Biden seeks to restore endangered species protections that Trump removed

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced that it will reinstate a decades-old regulation mandating blanket protections for species recently classified as threatened, noted The Associated Press.

The general protections regulation was dropped in 2019 as part of a suite of changes to species law enforcement that were encouraged by US industry, even as extinctions have accelerated around the world due to loss habitat and other pressures.

Authorities will no longer consider the economic impact of protecting endangered species

Authorities will also not take economic impact into consideration when deciding whether certain animals or plants need protection. In addition, the rules will make it easier to designate areas critical to the survival of a species, even if it is no longer found in those places.

That could help with the recovery of endangered fish and freshwater mussels in the Southeast, where in many cases the aquatic animals have disappeared from parts of their historic ranges, Fish and Wildlife Service Deputy Director Gary Frazer said.

More details about the proposal process may be released in the coming weeks

Wednesday’s proposal, Frazer said, will restore fundamental protections so that species are not pushed further toward extinction. «We have the opportunity to try to improve the status of species before they get to the brink,» he said.

The Associated Press obtained details on the proposed rules before they were published. They could take a year to be finalized. More details about the proposal process are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

America’s biological diversity is astounding

The biological diversity of the United States is staggering, harboring a great number of endemic and unique species in its different ecosystems. From the majestic grizzly bears in the Rocky Mountains to the iconic bald eagles that fly over its coasts, these species are fundamental pillars of ecosystems and contribute to their balanced functioning.

The conservation of these species not only protects biodiversity, but also has tangible benefits for the country. Firstly, tourism related to wildlife observation and ecotourism is an important source of income, generating jobs and revitalizing local economies.