The feds no longer protect endangered species habitat. States say they can’t pick up the slack.

YAHOO NEWS • July 26, 2026

Earlier this month, the Trump administration finalized a major change to the Endangered Species Act, rolling back protections for the forests, wetlands, deserts and other critical habitats that many plants and animals rely on. The new rule will open many landscapes to development, logging, mining and oil and gas drilling. Wildlife officials — in both conservative and liberal states — had expressed strong concerns about the proposal, saying it would threaten their plans to safeguard endangered species. Federal officials framed the decision as a move to give "freedom" to state leaders to manage wildlife without burdensome federal regulations. But legal experts and wildlife veterans say that almost no states have endangered species laws on the books that allow state officials to prevent habitat destruction in the name of saving wildlife.