NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER • March 30 2026
A federal judge on Monday partially ruled that the first Trump administration erred when it weakened aspects of the Endangered Species Act. The ruling was heralded by environmental groups, saying it underscored that “federal agencies must use the best available science when assessing harm to species, they cannot ignore incremental harm to critical habitat, and the agencies must firmly commit to any measures relied upon to reduce harm to imperiled plants and animals.” Judge Jon S. Tigar held that a handful of regulatory provisions affecting the ESA implemented during President Donald Trump’s first term “were unlawful because they contradict the text of the ESA or were arbitrary and capricious.”