The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service are proposing to remove the definition of "harm" from the Endangered Species Act regulations. This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo that requires agency regulations to align with the best reading of the statute. The existing definition, which includes habitat modification, is seen as incompatible with the true meaning of "take" under the Act. Public comments on this proposed change are welcomed until May 19, 2025.
Simple Explanation
The government wants to change a rule about how they protect animals in danger of disappearing, by taking away a part of the rule that talks about harming them by changing their homes. They are asking people what they think about this idea until mid-May 2025.