Trump administration rolls back Endangered Species Act harm rule

The Trump administration is rescinding a longstanding Endangered Species Act rule that officials say expanded the definition of “harm” to include habitat changes. The Interior and Commerce departments announced the change on July 10, 2026, saying the earlier interpretation created unnecessary restrictions on land use, energy projects, logging, and fishing. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said past administrations used the rule in ways that increased costs for families and businesses. The administration says it is narrowing the definition to focus on direct injury to protected species and is relying in part on the Supreme Court’s 2024 Loper Bright decision, which limited automatic deference to agency interpretations. Officials said the revision is intended to reduce permitting and compliance burdens while preserving core wildlife protections. They pointed to species such as the dunes sagebrush lizard and lesser prairiechicken as examples of habitatbased restrictions that industry groups have challenged.