Drooid Logo
Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Judge Ends ESA Protection for Dunes Sagebrush Lizard

7/23/2026

25 4 Full Breakdown

1 of 1

Story summary
  • U.S. District Judge David Counts approved a settlement that ends Endangered Species Act protections for the dunes sagebrush lizard.
  • The Trump administration said the 2024 Biden-era habitat assessment was potentially inaccurate, prompting the Fish and Wildlife Service, under President Donald Trump, to call the listing a serious error.
  • The settlement directs the Fish and Wildlife Service to reevaluate the lizard’s status over the next two years.