The Endangered Species Act has protected wildlife and the wild places they call home for over fifty years, but politics is sabotaging the ESA’s ability to work to save species. In a recent move to satisfy billionaire donors, the Trump administration proposed that habitat destruction doesn’t count as “harm” under the Endangered Species Act.

Without suitable habitat, wildlife cannot survive. Manatees rely on warm waters and thriving seagrass beds to live. Northern spotted owls need large old trees with cavities to nest and raise their babies. Monarch butterflies exclusively lay their eggs on milkweed plants. Counting habitat destruction as “harm” under the ESA is not only sensible, it is essential to save species from extinction.

This Trump administration proposal intends to allow logging, drilling, construction and more without any review of the impacts on habitat for endangered and threatened species. Since reviews of habitat impacts are the most common type of Endangered Species Act review, this proposed rule would be a big free pass to Trump’s wealthy industry donors.

We have until May 19 to tell the Trump administration to stop sabotaging the Endangered Species Act and keep wildlife habitat protections in place. Join us in opposing Trump’s ESA “Harm” rule by submitting your comment today.