News & Analysis as of

Environmental Policies US Fish and Wildlife Service

Nossaman LLP

In Washington, DC, Progress Filling Key ESA Slots Continues

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On August 1, 2025, the Senate approved Brian Nesvik, President Trump’s nominee for Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). The Service shares responsibility for administering the Endangered Species Act of...more

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

The Department of the Interior Establishes New Review Procedures for Wind and Solar Energy Projects

On July 15, 2025, the Office of the Secretary of the Department of the Interior (the “Department”) issued a memorandum—“Departmental Review Procedures for Decisions, Actions, Consultations, and Other Undertakings Related to...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

New U.S. Department of the Interior Review Procedures for Activities Related to Wind and Solar Energy

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On July 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) circulated an internal memorandum, requiring 68 different DOI actions related to wind and solar project development to be submitted to the DOI Office of the...more

Nossaman LLP

ESA Legislative Update

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The Committee on Natural Resources (Committee) in the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a number of bills regarding wildlife, including bills to reauthorize the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal...more

Nossaman LLP

Court Overturns Service Decision that Listing Joshua Tree is Not Warranted

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On May 12, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to reevaluate its decision not to list two species of Joshua tree—Yucca brevifolia (western...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

Déjà vu? FWS Solicits Feedback to Update Section 10(a) of the ESA

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On Monday, June 9, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) opened a short, 30-day public comment period soliciting information and comments to, “improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness” of Section 10(a) take...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Federal Proposal to Rescind ESA’s ‘Harm’ Definition Raises the Stakes for California’s AB 1319

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, Services) proposed last week to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA),...more

Troutman Pepper Locke

No Harm, No Foul? Services Propose to Remove Harm Definition from Endangered Species Act Regulations

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On April 17, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (together Services) published a proposed rule to rescind the long-standing definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species...more

Jenner & Block

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Regulatory Change to Ease Endangered Species Act Restrictions

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On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed a rulemaking to rescind the definition of “harm” in the Endangered Species Act regulations. The change is being made to...more

Allen Matkins

California Environmental Law & Policy Update 4.18.25

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The Trump administration is moving to effectively eliminate a crucial protection in the half-century-old federal Endangered Species Act by redefining a single word: harm. A proposed rule, issued this Wednesday from the U.S....more

Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard,...

Listing Timeline/Endangered Species Act: Center for Biological Diversity and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Enter into Stipulated...

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) and Center for Biological Diversity (“CBD”) entered into a January 16th Stipulated Settlement Agreement (“Agreement”) imposing deadlines for required listing decisions...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Trump Executive Actions Impacting Renewable Energy

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On President Trump’s first and second days in office, the new administration released a flurry of executive actions, in the form of both memorandums and executive orders, focused on the energy industry:...more

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Putting People Over Fish: Stopping Radical Environmentalism to Provide Water to Southern California

President Trump has directed the Secretary of Commerce and Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the heads of other departments and agencies of the United States as necessary, to immediately restart the work from...more

Nossaman LLP

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Issues 90-Day Finding on Golden-cheeked Warbler Delisting Petition

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On January 20, 2025, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) will publish a positive 90-day finding on a 2016 petition (Petition) to delist the golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysoparia) (GCWA). The decision comes on...more

Allen Matkins

California Environmental Law & Policy Update 1.17.25

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On Monday, January 13, 2025, California withdrew requests for Clean Air Act waivers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needed to support four recently adopted vehicle emissions regulations: 1) the Advanced...more

Holland & Hart LLP

FWS Updates Right-of-Way Regulations for National Wildlife Refuge Lands

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On December 11, 2024, the Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service revised its regulations covering rights-of-way across National Wildlife Refuges and other Service-administered lands.  The revised regulations...more

Vinson & Elkins LLP

Endangered Species Regulation Under the New Administration

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The incoming Trump Administration is expected to prioritize the rollback of Biden-era endangered species regulations, aiming to reduce the regulatory burden on land-intensive businesses and enhance energy independence. This...more

Nossaman LLP

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recommends Downlisting Golden-cheeked Warbler

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On January 7, 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced that, following the completion of the Service’s 5-year status review (5-year Review) of the golden-cheeked warbler (Setophaga chrysopharia) (GCWA),...more

ArentFox Schiff

Iconic Monarch Butterfly Designated for Possible Endangered Species Act Protection: Potential Impacts on Agriculture

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On December 12, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a proposed rule to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and...more

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP

USFWS lists Monarch Butterfly as Threatened under Endangered Species Act

On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). This proposal includes a 4(d) rule offering species-specific...more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Butterfly Nets and Business Bets: How Proposed Protections for Monarchs Could Snare Agribusiness, Renewables and Development

On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published its proposal in the Federal Register to list the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA)....more

Stoel Rives - Environmental Law Blog

U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes to List the Monarch Butterfly as Threatened, Seeks Comments on Developing a Final Rule

On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (the “Service”) published notice in the Federal Register of a proposed rule to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act...more

Beveridge & Diamond PC

The Butterfly Effect: FWS Proposes Nationwide Threatened Species Listing for Monarch Butterfly

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On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposed listing the monarch butterfly as a threatened species with a special section 4(d) rule under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The special 4(d) rule...more

Allen Matkins

California Environmental Law & Policy Update 12.13.24

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday banned two solvents found in everyday products that can cause cancer and other serious diseases. It was a move long sought by environmental and health advocates, even...more

Nossaman LLP

Protections Proposed for Monarch Butterfly

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On December 10, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released its long-anticipated listing proposal for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), along with a proposed critical habitat designation and...more

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