Latest news with #EndangeredSpeciesCommittee
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
A Biologist Reveals 3 Species That Are Closer To Extinction Under The Trump Administration
As of early 2025, more than 1,300 species in the United States are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). For decades, the ESA has been the primary legislative tool for halting extinction, credited with preventing the loss of species ranging from bald eagles to black-footed ferrets. But recent developments have raised new concerns about how long that protection will hold. Since taking office earlier this year, the Trump administration has revived the rarely used Endangered Species Committee, informally known as the 'God Squad.' This committee holds the authority to override ESA protections when economic or public interest arguments are deemed compelling enough, even if such actions would knowingly lead to species extinction. The God Squad has historically been convened only in exceptional cases, with rigorous checks and scientific review. Under current orders, however, the committee is now being scheduled to meet regularly and has been tasked with identifying 'obstacles to domestic energy infrastructure.' At the same time, the administration has expressed support for a different kind of conservation model — de-extinction. Following Colossal Biosciences' recent announcement that it had produced the world's first dire wolf pups using gene-editing technologies, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum celebrated the moment as a turning point. 'Since the dawn of our nation, it has been innovation — not regulation — that has spawned American greatness,' Burgum wrote on X. 'The revival of the dire wolf heralds the advent of a thrilling new era of scientific wonder, showcasing how the concept of 'de-extinction' can serve as a bedrock for modern species conservation.' While the achievement is remarkable, it's important to note that the dire wolf genome reconstruction took years, and only three pups exist so far, all in captive care. (This also sidesteps the larger question of whether these animals are truly dire wolves or simply genetically engineered gray wolves.) Meanwhile, other species are facing extinction on a much shorter clock. What follows are three native animals whose future has grown significantly more uncertain under the current regulatory climate. Once believed extinct, the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is among the most remarkable recovery stories in North American conservation. Native to the open prairies of the Great Plains, these elusive, nocturnal predators rely almost entirely on prairie dogs for both food and shelter. Their fate, historically and still today, is tightly bound to the survival of their prey. By the late 1970s, habitat loss, widespread prairie dog eradication programs and outbreaks of sylvatic plague had pushed black-footed ferrets to presumed extinction. Then in 1981, a ranch dog in Wyoming unearthed a carcass that led to the last known population, which grew to about 130 individuals. When plague struck again, only 18 ferrets remained. From those few, a national recovery effort was launched, anchored by the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center in Colorado. That painstaking work is now in jeopardy. Earlier this year, key staff at the center were terminated as part of broader federal cuts, and critical funding for plague mitigation in wild habitats has been frozen. Plague remains an ever-present threat, capable of erasing years of recovery in a single outbreak. Without the technicians who manage captive breeding and vaccination programs, and without support for tribal and field-based conservation, the species' hard-won gains are now vulnerable to rapid reversal. Once ranging from Texas to Pennsylvania, the red wolf (Canis rufus) is now reduced to a single fragile population in North Carolina's Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. Slightly smaller and more slender than its gray cousins, the red wolf is a uniquely American carnivore and one of the rarest. Around 15 red wolves remain in the wild today. Decades of captive breeding and carefully managed reintroductions had sparked hope. By the early 2010s, around 120 individuals roamed northeastern North Carolina. But that recovery unraveled after regulatory protections weakened. Hybridization with coyotes, vehicle collisions and illegal shootings accelerated the decline. For several years, no pups were born in the wild. Conservation programs stalled, and federal agencies scaled back active management. One bright spot came with the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which allocated funds for wildlife crossings on highways like US 64, an artery notorious for red wolf road deaths. In 2023, North Carolina received a $25 million federal grant to begin constructing underpasses, backed by $4 million in additional funding. These structures could significantly reduce collisions and reconnect fragmented wolf habitat. But in early 2025, the Trump administration froze disbursement of the BIL funds, putting the project in limbo. Meanwhile, Colossal Biosciences has cloned hybrids of the red wolf with coyotes in an attempt to bolster their falling numbers, but this does little to address the cause of their decline. For a species already hanging by a thread, even short delays matter. Red wolves face not only ecological pressures, but administrative uncertainty. Without continued reintroductions, road protections and legal safeguards, one of America's most distinctive carnivores could vanish without a trace. Among the last echoes of an ancient avian lineage, the ʻakikiki (Oreomystis bairdi) clings to existence in the misty rainforests of Kauaʻi. Once ranging across the island, this small gray-and-white honeycreeper now survives only in the highest elevations of Kokeʻe and the Alakaʻi Plateau — areas increasingly under siege by invasive mosquitoes carrying avian malaria. A species that numbered in the hundreds as recently as 2018 now has less than 5 individuals left in the wild. Without decisive intervention, the ʻakikiki may vanish from its native forest within months. Captive breeding programs, launched with support from institutions like the San Diego Zoo, have preserved a genetically vital population of about 40 birds. Yet even this safeguard is vulnerable. Releasing lab-reared mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria to suppress wild mosquito populations is the most promising strategy to help these birds grow their population in the wild today. The operation was set to expand with funding from the BIL, but now faces uncertainty amid funding freezes. On Kauaʻi, the consequences are immediate. Field teams managing mosquito control, predator fencing and nesting site monitoring have been abruptly terminated. The abrupt layoffs of key personnel, including biologists at the Kauaʻi National Wildlife Refuge Complex, have left entire habitats unguarded. With each passing day of inaction, the challenges facing the ʻakikiki become more acute. As field operations are interrupted and conservation timelines stall, the few remaining birds in the wild continue to face mounting threats. And without sustained support, the window for meaningful intervention may soon begin to close. As more species move into the endangered list, how do you feel about the debilitating effects of climate change? Take a 2-minute test to see where you stand on the Climate Change Worry Scale.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
10 things to know about the ‘God Squad': How it impacts Hawaiʻi
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The God Squad is a special committee that has the power to decide whether to allow federal projects to move forward even if they might cause the extinction of an endangered or indigenous species. The Endangered Species Committee, colloquially known as the 'God Squad' was created by Congress in 1978 as amendments to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973. The Associated Press reported that the President of the United States intends to utilize the God Squad to initiate deforestation of national protected lands. So, did a bit of digging and found these 10 facts to know about the God Squad:Members: The committee includes high-level government officials, such as: The Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary of the Army. The Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. The Administrator of the EPA. The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). One appointed representative from each affected state. What it does: The Endangered Species Committee's purpose is to review special requests to allow actions that might harm endangered and/or indigenous species, even if the ESA protects them. How it decides: Decisions require that at least five members of the committee must agree that: There are no other good options to avoid harming the species if there is a significant amount of money to made. The financial benefits of the action are greater than the harm to the species. The action is important financially for the country or region. No one broke the rules by harming the species before approval was given. Helping the species: If an exemption is granted, the group responsible must help the species by protecting its habitat, moving animals or doing other conservation work. Permanent exemptions: Once a species is granted an exemption, the order remains in effect unless one or both of the following occur: A new species is found to be in danger. The Secretary of Defense decides a species needs to have its exemption negated for reasons of national security. Public involvement: The committee has the ability to: Involve the public by asking for people to send in written opinions. The committee can also hold public meetings in which people can share their thoughts, data, cultural information, etc…. Meetings and voting: There must be at least five members of the committee present for a meeting to take place and only government-based committee members can vote while the state representatives must all share a single vote. However, these meetings are open to the public. Special powers: The committee has the power to do enact the following: They can ask federal agencies for information that will help with their decision(s). They can require witnesses to testify if needed. The committee members can make rules to help the committee do its job. History: Over the years since its creation, the God Squad has rarely met. As a matter of fact, they have only met a few times in the last 47 years of the committee's existence. Exemption authority: The committee has the power to allow a project to continue despite harming an endangered species but only under strict conditions. You can click to learn more about the EPA. You can click to read the legislation that created the God Squad. You can click to read the Associated Press article. The God Squad has never dealt with an issue that is specifically related to Hawaiʻi. But we do have four national parks/forests: Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Haleakalā National Park. Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park. Ka'ūpūlehu National Forest. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established during Richard Nixon's presidency in 1970. Following this in 1973, Congress created the Endangered Species Act (ESA). It was believed that our ecosystems provide 'esthetic, ecological, educational, recreational and scientific value to our nation and its people.' This act was created to protect North American indigenous plants and animals that were/are at risk of extinction due to deforestation and other destructive environmental endeavors. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who oversee land and freshwater animals, and the National Marine Fisheries Service, who oversee sea animals like Hawaiʻi's monk seals and honu (turtles), work to fulfill the mission of the ESA. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Euronews
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
‘God Squad': Could Trump's plan for increased logging make species extinct?
President Donald Trump wants to increase logging in national forests and on public lands, including by bypassing endangered species protections. To do that, the federal government would have to activate a seldom-used committee nicknamed the 'God Squad' because it can approve federal projects even if it leads to extinction of a species otherwise protected by the Endangered Species Act. But experts say there are strict procedural requirements - and no provision under law to proactively use the committee to bypass protections. Here's what to know. What does Trump want? The president on Saturday signed actions to increase domestic lumber production in national forests and other public lands, directing federal agencies to look for ways to bypass protections for endangered species. Upon taking office in January, Trump declared a national energy emergency and directed the committee to convene at least quarterly to either consider exemptions or, if there are none, 'to identify obstacles to domestic energy infrastructure' related to the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to harm or kill protected species and has led to restrictions on logging, mining and oil and gas development. The Marine Mammal Protection Act bans killing and harassment of marine mammals with some limited exceptions. What is the God Squad? Officially called the Endangered Species Committee, it was established in 1978 as a way to exempt projects from Endangered Species Act protections if a cost-benefit analysis concluded it was the only way to achieve net economic benefits in the national or regional interest. In the case of logging, the analysis also should determine if the benefits of cutting trees outweigh the economic value of watershed and other protections provided by standing timber, said Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School who helped write criteria for the God Squad. The seven-member committee is led by the secretary of the Interior and includes the secretaries of Agriculture and the Army, administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Affected states also would be represented with one vote total, meaning multiple states would each get a fraction of a vote. Five votes are required for an exemption. When can the God Squad be convened? The secretary of the Interior can convene the committee only for a specific project and only if the US Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service - after a required environmental review - concludes the project would jeopardise survival of a protected species, Parenteau said. Otherwise, 'there is no basis to convene the God Squad,' he said. 'Contrary to what Trump has been talking about, you don't convene this committee to grant exemptions prospectively. That is not legal. There's no jurisdiction for the committee to even be convened to do that.' What has the committee done in the past? Only twice in its 47 years has the committee issued exemptions. The first allowed construction of a dam on a section of the Platte River considered critical habitat for whooping cranes. But a negotiated settlement won significant protections that led to overall ecosystem improvement and a rebounded crane population. The second exemption, during the George H.W. Bush administration, was for logging in northern spotted owl habitat. But the Bureau of Land Management under President Bill Clinton withdrew the request after environmental groups sued, arguing that the committee's decision was political and violated legal procedures.
Boston Globe
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump wants to use the ‘God Squad' to increase logging, but it must follow strict rules
Here's what to know: What does Trump want? The president on Saturday signed actions to increase domestic lumber production in national forests and other public lands, directing federal agencies to look for ways to bypass protections for endangered species. Upon taking office in January, Trump declared a national energy emergency and directed the committee to convene at least quarterly to either consider exemptions or, if there are none, 'to identify obstacles to domestic energy infrastructure' related to the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to harm or kill protected species and has led to restrictions on logging, mining and oil and gas development. The Marine Mammal Protection Act bans killing and harassment of marine mammals with some limited exceptions. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up What is the God Squad? Advertisement Officially called the Endangered Species Committee, it was established in 1978 as a way to exempt projects from Endangered Species Act protections if a cost-benefit analysis concluded it was the only way to achieve net economic benefits in the national or regional interest. In the case of logging, the analysis also should determine if the benefits of cutting trees outweigh the economic value of watershed and other protections provided by standing timber, said Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School who helped write criteria for the God Squad. The seven-member committee is led by the secretary of the Interior and includes the secretaries of Agriculture and the Army, administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Affected states also would be represented with one vote total, meaning multiple states would each get a fraction of a vote. Advertisement Five votes are required for an exemption. When can the God Squad be convened? The secretary of the Interior can convene the committee only for a specific project and only if the US Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service — after a required environmental review — concludes the project would jeopardize survival of a protected species, Parenteau said. Otherwise, 'there is no basis to convene the God Squad,' he said. 'Contrary to what Trump has been talking about, you don't convene this committee to grant exemptions prospectively. That is not legal. There's no jurisdiction for the committee to even be convened to do that.' What has the committee done in the past? Only twice in its 47 years has the committee issued exemptions. The first allowed construction of a dam on a section of the Platte River considered critical habitat for whooping cranes. But a negotiated settlement won significant protections that led to overall ecosystem improvement and a rebounded crane population. The second exemption, during the George H.W. Bush administration, was for logging in northern spotted owl habitat. But the Bureau of Land Management under President Bill Clinton withdrew the request after environmental groups sued, arguing that the committee's decision was political and violated legal procedures.
Associated Press
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Trump wants to use the ‘God Squad' to increase logging, but it must follow strict rules
President Donald Trump wants to increase logging in national forests and on public lands, including by bypassing endangered species protections. To do that, the federal government would have to activate a seldom-used committee nicknamed the 'God Squad' because it can approve federal projects even if it leads to extinction of a species otherwise protected by the Endangered Species Act. But experts say there are strict procedural requirements — and no provision under law to proactively use the committee to bypass protections. Here's what to know: What does Trump want? The president on Saturday signed actions to increase domestic lumber production in national forests and other public lands, directing federal agencies to look for ways to bypass protections for endangered species. Upon taking office in January, Trump declared a national energy emergency and directed the committee to convene at least quarterly to either consider exemptions or, if there are none, 'to identify obstacles to domestic energy infrastructure' related to the Endangered Species Act or the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to harm or kill protected species and has led to restrictions on logging, mining and oil and gas development. The Marine Mammal Protection Act bans killing and harassment of marine mammals with some limited exceptions. What is the God Squad? Officially called the Endangered Species Committee, it was established in 1978 as a way to exempt projects from Endangered Species Act protections if a cost-benefit analysis concluded it was the only way to achieve net economic benefits in the national or regional interest. In the case of logging, the analysis also should determine if the benefits of cutting trees outweigh the economic value of watershed and other protections provided by standing timber, said Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor at the Vermont Law and Graduate School who helped write criteria for the God Squad. The seven-member committee is led by the secretary of the Interior and includes the secretaries of Agriculture and the Army, administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Affected states also would be represented with one vote total, meaning multiple states would each get a fraction of a vote. Five votes are required for an exemption. When can the God Squad be convened? The secretary of the Interior can convene the committee only for a specific project and only if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service — after a required environmental review — concludes the project would jeopardize survival of a protected species, Parenteau said. Otherwise, 'there is no basis to convene the God Squad,' he said. 'Contrary to what Trump has been talking about, you don't convene this committee to grant exemptions prospectively. That is not legal. There's no jurisdiction for the committee to even be convened to do that.' What has the committee done in the past? Only twice in its 47 years has the committee issued exemptions. The first allowed construction of a dam on a section of the Platte River considered critical habitat for whooping cranes. But a negotiated settlement won significant protections that led to overall ecosystem improvement and a rebounded crane population. The second exemption, during the George H.W. Bush administration, was for logging in northern spotted owl habitat. But the Bureau of Land Management under President Bill Clinton withdrew the request after environmental groups sued, arguing that the committee's decision was political and violated legal procedures. ___
