States blast plan to overhaul endangered species protection

BOSTON – Ten states are demanding the Trump administration abandon a proposed overhaul of the Endangered Species Act.

In comments delivered Tuesday to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, the states contend the changes sought by wildlife regulators would “wreak havoc” with one of the nation’s most successful environmental laws.

Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey of Massachusetts says the proposal would imperil natural habitats and put rare species at greater risk of extinction.

The administration denies the plan would gut the 1973 statute and says it would instead produce speedier, more efficient decisions. The changes include ending automatic protections for threatened species and limiting habitat safeguards for recovering species.

The attorneys general of California, Maryland, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia also signed.