"The Trump administration is preparing to unveil a broad final rule that could represent the most significant change to the Endangered Species Act since its inception in 1973.

The rule could be issued as early as Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the department’s thinking. The biggest question is whether the rule will let the government for the first time take economic considerations into account when weighing whether to give an animal or plant special protection.

Conservationists and business interests have been waiting for the Interior Department to issue it for months.

The changes set forth in the rule as it was proposed in July 2018 are many and varied, ranging from the impacts of climate change on endangered species to the blanket protections that species get once they’re listed as threatened."

Stephen Lee reports for Bloomberg Environment May 25, 2019. [2]