UPDATE 1-Trump administration proposes to loosen rules protecting endangered species

The proposed changes include requiring specific rules tailored to each threatened species rather than relying on a single overarching rule. The administration of then-President Joe Biden in 2024 had restored protections rolled back by Trump.

The Trump administration on Wednesday proposed four new rules that would roll back Biden-era regulations that strengthened protections for endangered species.

The move is aligned with President Donald Trump's effort to unwind what he says are burdensome federal regulations for businesses. In a statement, the Interior Department said it would restore regulatory language from 2019 and 2020, during Trump's first administration. The proposed changes include requiring specific rules tailored to each threatened species rather than relying on a single overarching rule.

The administration of then-President Joe Biden in 2024 had restored protections rolled back by Trump. The agency said the revisions would balance conservation with infrastructure development.

"These actions reaffirm our commitment to science-based conservation that works hand-in-hand with America's energy, agricultural and infrastructure priorities," U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik said in a statement. "By restoring clarity and predictability, we are giving the regulated community confidence while keeping our focus on recovery outcomes, not paperwork."

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