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The Trump administration on Thursday proposed a series of substantial amendments to the Endangered Species Act a federal law that has been protecting many endangered species on American soil since 1973, causing concern among defenders of the environment. Legislation is a global reference for environmental protection. Adopted 45 years ago under the chairmanship of Richard Nixon, this law has since helped to save dozens of species threatened with extinction, such as the bald eagle – the famous "bald eagle" emblem of the United States – , the manatee, the humpback whale or the American alligator.
Modifications proposed by the Department of Commerce. Among the changes proposed Thursday by the departments of the Interior (DOI) and Trade: the deletion of a sentence aimed that the decisions taken for the protection of animals are dissociated from their economic impact. Another potential retouching would remove a clause automatically granting the same protection to so-called "threatened" species – likely to be in danger of extinction in the near future – only to "endangered" species immediately.
An Adoption possible at the end of the year. "This change will not affect the protection of species currently clbadified as threatened, but will allow species that will be protected in the future to enjoy a tailor-made protection," said in a statement the Federal Office of Preservation of nature. These proposals will now be subject to public consultation for 60 days. They could be adopted by the end of the year
"Greater danger to endangered species" The environmental groups are strongly opposed to these changes, which they see as an attempt to unravel a law that has proven effective for more than four decades. For John Calvelli, vice-president of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the changes proposed Thursday betray "an obvious desire to weaken the Endangered Species Act " by adding "obstacles" and "useless paperwork" that , "in the end", will cause "greater danger to endangered species."
9 out of 10 Americans are in favor of the 1973 Act. Democratic Senator Tom Carper sees it as "another example of the Trump Administration's focus on industry rather than the interests of the American people." "The Endangered Species Act is one of the most popular and effective environmental protection laws in our country," he added. According to a study published Wednesday in the review Conservation Letters only one in ten Americans said they were opposed to the 1973 law, which was regularly attacked.
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