190+ State Legislators Urge Federal Agencies to Withdraw Proposed Endangered Species Act Rollbacks

Washington, D.C. (December 22, 2025) — More than 190 state legislators from 34 states and territories have submitted a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) urging the agencies to withdraw four proposed rules that would weaken wildlife and habitat protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The letter highlights the ESA’s proven track record of preventing extinction for 99% of listed species and facilitating the recovery of iconic wildlife such as bald eagles, sea turtles, and gray whales. State legislators warn that the proposed changes could undermine decades of conservation progress, weaken state-federal partnerships, and jeopardize economic benefits tied to biodiversity and outdoor recreation.

As outlined in the letter, the legislators assert that the four proposed rules would:

• Weaken Threatened Species Protections: Under the proposed FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0029, threatened species would no longer be automatically protected from killing, harming, or habitat destruction through the ESA.

• Exclude Areas from Critical Habitat Designation: FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0048 would require the Fish and Wildlife Service to consider economic impacts in critical habitat decisions, therefore decentering the role of science in what is typically a rigorous, data-driven process.
• Reduce Interagency Consultation: FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0044 would limit requirements for federal agencies to consult with one another to ensure their actions do not jeopardize listed species or destroy critical habitat.

• Remove Eligibility for New Critical Habitat Designation: FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0039 would make the process more difficult for designating unoccupied critical habitats for protection.

“America has a long-standing and bipartisan tradition of environmental conservation,” said Maryland State Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr. “As a biologist whose graduate research was on a federally threatened species, I am deeply troubled by the proposed changes that will weaken science-based protections and undermine decades of progress. Without strong federal protections, states will need to take a leading role and step up our actions to protect our biodiversity and iconic species.”

State legislators emphasize that the ESA has been one of the most popular and bipartisan conservation laws in U.S. history — and that public support for wildlife conservation remains strong today. A June 2025 poll found that 84% of Americans believe it is important to prevent species extinction, with broad support for habitat protections.

The letter concludes by calling on the FWS and NMFS to withdraw these proposed rules from consideration and uphold America’s long-standing commitment to conservation leadership.

This letter was spearheaded by Colorado State Representative Karen McCormick, Maryland State Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, and Michigan State Senator Sue Shink.

The full letter can be viewed here: https://www.ncelenviro.org/app/uploads/2025/12/ESA-Sign-on-Letter-1225.pdf

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About NCEL: Created by and for state legislators, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes over 1,300 environmentally-committed state legislators from all 50 states and both parties. NCEL provides venues and opportunities for lawmakers to share ideas and collaborate on environmental issues.