The Endangered Species Act has saved thousands of plant and animal species from extinction.The Trump administration has narrowed what qualifies as harm under the Endangered Species Act, jeopardizing the longstanding protection that has kept habitats safe from human destruction and degradation. Now extractive industries such as oil, mining and timber freely operate within these protective habitats, harming all plant and animal life.
In addition, the Trump Administration has removed all safeguards for endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico, giving oil and gas industries free reign to run roughshod with their detrimental practices. This decision was made by the “God Squad,” a committee of high ranking elected officials who has the ability to override the ESA if the “benefits” of the project outweigh the life of the endangered species.
Southern California Otters are classified as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Sea Otter population diminished due to the commercial fur trade. Today, they suffer from environmental concerns such as rising sea temperatures, water contamination and pollution, due to oil spills, chemical run off, and human insinuation. This impacts their ecosystem, creating harmful algae blooms and harming the kelp forests, which makes otters vulnerable to shark attacks, disease and death.
