Published on
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have proposed four major rule changes to the Endangered Species Act, a move conservation experts say could weaken long-standing protections for some of the country’s most vulnerable wildlife, including sea turtles that nest along Florida’s coast.
The proposed changes were published last week and are now open for public comment until December 22, 2025. The agencies say the changes are intended to “clarify and modernize” how the ESA is applied. Conservation groups disagree and warn that the proposals would significantly erode critical safeguards that have helped countless species recover from the brink of extinction.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy, the nation’s oldest sea turtle research and conservation organization, issued an action alert Tuesday calling the proposal a direct threat to decades of progress made under the ESA.
According to STC, the Endangered Species Act has been essential in the recovery of federally protected sea turtle populations. Florida hosts one of the largest loggerhead and green sea turtle nesting habitats in the world. The group says the rollback would put these efforts at risk.
The proposed rule changes include:
Currently, species listed as “threatened” automatically receive the same protections as endangered species unless specific rules are adopted. The agencies are proposing to remove this default protection.
Conservationists warn that without the blanket rule, threatened species could be left vulnerable to harm, harassment, and habitat loss unless separate protections are individually crafted. Critics say this would create delays and weaken immediate safeguards.
Under federal law, species listing decisions are required to be based solely on scientific data. The new proposal would allow the agencies to consider economic impacts of listing a species, such as effects on development or industry.
Wildlife groups say this is a dangerous shift that could politicize the listing process and lead to wildlife decisions being influenced by cost rather than science.
The proposal would bar the federal government from designating habitat that is currently unoccupied by a species, even if it is historically occupied or necessary for long-term recovery.
Scientists argue that many species recovering from population collapse rely on access to historic habitat as they expand back into their natural range. Excluding these areas could stall or reverse recovery.
The current ESA framework requires the federal government to coordinate with state wildlife agencies before construction or development projects affecting listed species are approved.
The proposal would weaken that requirement, potentially allowing federal agencies to greenlight projects without full review from state-level experts who manage wildlife on the ground.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy says the proposed rules would undermine both scientific integrity and established recovery strategies. In Florida, this could have major consequences.
Florida’s beaches are home to several ESA-protected species including loggerhead, leatherback, green, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. Many nests are located in environmentally sensitive areas that depend on strong federal oversight to prevent construction, lighting hazards, and habitat destruction.
STC warns that adding economic considerations to ESA decisions could open the door to increased coastal development, compromising nesting success. Likewise, eliminating protections for unoccupied but historically used habitat could restrict recovery areas that sea turtle populations are projected to need as climate change reshapes coastlines.
“The Endangered Species Act has directly contributed to the recovery of sea turtles in the United States,” STC said in its public statement. “We need your help to fight proposed rule changes by the federal government that could significantly weaken it.”
The rule changes are not final. Federal law requires a public comment period on all proposed ESA revisions.
Residents, scientists, conservationists, and public officials can submit comments until December 22.
The agencies say they will review all submitted feedback before issuing final rules.
The Sea Turtle Conservancy is urging the public to comment on each of the four proposals and tell federal officials to keep the ESA protections in place. They argue that citizen input is essential to prevent irreversible damage to keystone species.
Comments can be submitted online through the federal rulemaking portal by locating the proposals under “Fish and Wildlife Service” and “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
The Sea Turtle Conservancy has also provided direct links through their official channels to guide the public through the process.
