Defend 'Harm' in the ESA: Your Voice Matters for Biodiversity Protection

We need your help! The government is trying to rescind the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act! This would be catastrophic for our environment and would open the door to more hurtful legislation. 

Help us by leaving a public comment HERE BEFORE MAY 16th, 2025!

Here is a sample comment: 

I strongly oppose the proposed rescission of the definition of "harm" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This change would severely weaken the ESA’s effectiveness by removing critical protections for wildlife and habitats already under threat.

The current definition of “harm” appropriately includes significant habitat modification or degradation that kills or injures listed species by impairing essential behavioral patterns, such as breeding, feeding, or sheltering. This broader understanding of harm recognizes that species do not exist in isolation — their survival is directly tied to the health of their environment. Eliminating this definition would make it easier to destroy or fragment habitats without legal accountability, even when such actions clearly threaten the existence of endangered species.

We are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, with species declining at unprecedented rates. The ESA has been one of our most successful conservation tools precisely because it addresses both direct and indirect impacts on wildlife. Weakening the definition of harm would strip the Act of one of its most powerful provisions — the ability to prevent habitat destruction before it leads to extinction.

I urge the government to prioritize science, ecological integrity, and the voices of Indigenous communities, conservationists, and the public by retaining the current, science-based definition of "harm" under the ESA. Future generations deserve a world rich in biodiversity, and that requires strong, uncompromised environmental protections today.

Sincerely,

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