The Trump administration finalized a rollback of the Endangered Species Act on Friday, paving the way for drilling, mining and other human development across protected wildlife habitats. The move redefines “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, the landmark conservation law that protects threatened and endangered plants and animals. … The move seems especially poised to hit California. … Of the roughly 2,300 species protected by the Endangered Species Act, nearly 300 are found in California. These species include amphibians such as tiger salamanders and Yosemite toads; birds such as California condors and northern spotted owls; fish such as Little Kern golden trout and Santa Ana suckers. … A report from Earthjustice estimates that expanded oil drilling in California could threaten five marine species including humpback whales, sea otters, leatherback sea turtles, marbled murrelets and wild salmon.

Related: 

• The Times-Standard (Eureka, Calif.): ‘Many species will go extinct’: Feds’ ESA rule threatens habitat
• The New York Times: Trump, ending decades of protection, opens wild habitats to drilling and mining
• NPR: Trump administration rolls back a key protection for imperiled wildlife
• The Guardian (U.K.): ‘Death sentence’: Trump administration to open habitats of endangered species to logging and mining
• The Conversation: Blog: How redefining one word strips the Endangered Species Act’s ability to protect vital habitat