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Interior Dept Cancels Blanket Species Rule, Requires Economic Review

7/20/2026

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Burgum Cancels Rule

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum argued the Endangered Species Act should be judged by species recovery, not by adding more listings.
The U.S. Interior Department cancelled the blanket-protection rule for threatened species, effective Friday.
The new rule requires economic impact analysis before designating critical habitat, raising corporate influence concerns.
About 30 species are currently proposed for listing, with habitat definitions tightened.

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Interior Dept Rollsback

The new rule narrows “harm” to direct, intentional injury to individual animals, echoing Justice Antonin Scalia’s 1990s dissent.
The Interior Department eliminated the blanket-protection rule for threatened wildlife, shifting to case-by-case reviews.
Environmental groups sued, claiming the rule breaches the Endangered Species Act and threatens habitat plans.
Legal scholars say overturning Chevron lets courts define “harm,” sending the case to Supreme Court.

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Burgum Cancels Rule

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum argued the Endangered Species Act should be judged by species recovery, not by adding more listings.
The U.S. Interior Department cancelled the blanket-protection rule for threatened species, effective Friday.
The new rule requires economic impact analysis before designating critical habitat, raising corporate influence concerns.
About 30 species are currently proposed for listing, with habitat definitions tightened.

1 / 2