Full Breakdown
Trump Administration Rolls Back Key Environmental Protections
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Executive Order Repeal Undermines Chesapeake Bay Restoration
The Trump administration issued an executive order on Wednesday that revokes Executive Order 13508, the 2009 directive that coordinated federal, state, and local actions to protect the Chesapeake Bay. The administration argues the prior order created “rain taxes” and lacked clear implementation guidance, claiming it imposed “harmful economic impacts” on residents and small businesses.
New ESA Interpretation Expands Industry Leeway
A separate directive from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued by Director Brian Nesvik, redefines “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. The guidance states that killing imperiled wildlife is illegal only when the animals are “specifically targeted,” allowing activities such as logging or dam construction that may incidentally kill protected species to proceed without liability.
Official Statements & Responses
The administration’s statement framed the repeal as necessary to “provide clarity” and promote economic health for Bay communities. The Interior Department’s release emphasized that the ESA’s prohibition on “take” remains in place for direct actions against wildlife.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Trump's decision to slash federal support for the Chesapeake Bay is yet another attack against Maryland — this time on our farmers, fishers, and millions of people who rely on the watershed to filter their drinking water. The Bay is our jewel moving Maryland's economy forward, and we will protect it at all costs,” — Wes Moore
- “Today we learned that environmental policies put in place 15 years ago to protect the Chesapeake Bay were revoked by the Trump Administration. The environmental health of the Chesapeake Bay, and local tributaries that feed the Bay, is not open for debate; it is not a policy preference that can be dialed back by Executive Order,” — Jared Littmann
- “This cuts against the entire history of the Endangered Species Act,” — Dan Ashe
- “It just creates a huge loophole,” — Dan Ashe
- “Felling a tree is not a take of the bats roosting in it unless the tree is felled for the purpose of killing or capturing them,” — Brian Nesvik