The Trump administration finalized a rule that narrows how the Endangered Species Act is enforced by removing habitat destruction from the legal definition of 'harm' — a safeguard that has been in place since the 1970s and contributed to recovering species like bald eagles from near-extinction. Environmental groups say this opens protected lands to extraction industries and could accelerate extinctions, while the administration argues the change reduces regulatory overreach. The rule is now final and applies to all future ESA enforcement decisions, though it will likely face legal challenges from conservation organizations within weeks.