Senate Democrats will push to overrule a Trump administration move to lessen protections for imperiled species, likely forcing a vote on the matter on Capitol Hill.
Sens. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, plan to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution Monday against the rule finalized last month.
The change from the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries removes the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, which the agencies have used for decades to offer endangered and threatened species habitat protections.
The rule undoes those protections, giving industries leeway to destroy or modify the habitat of imperiled species so long as it doesn’t directly affect individual wildlife.
