Landowner help sought to protect endangered animals, plants

By JOHN FLESHER and MATTHEW BROWN
Associated Press

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Biden administration plans changes in federal regulations to encourage voluntary conservation projects on private land, partly by shielding owners from punishment if their actions kill or harm small numbers of imperiled species. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal released Wednesday outlines steps to issue permits for damage that otherwise would be illegal under the Endangered Species Act. The Associated Press obtained details on the proposal prior to its public release. The idea is to make landowners allies rather than adversaries as climate change, urban sprawl and other pressures jeopardize more animals and plants.