Trump administration is completing a controversial rollback of protections for endangered species. The move could open the door for new oil and gas drilling, mining and development. In a statement, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says the decision will ease regulatory burdens while still protecting endangered species. Environmental groups are expected to challenge the rollback in court – they warn that the moves could gut protections for a wide variety of endangered species. The Endangered Species Act was passed with strong bipartisan support in 1973 and has succeeded in preventing 99% of listed species from going extinct, including the Yellowstone grizzly bear, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, manatee and humpback whale.
Source:NPR