Leaked Memo Suggests Federal Exemption for Accidental Killings Under Endangered Species Act

A leaked U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) memo indicates a significant policy shift, proposing to no longer treat accidental killings as violations of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Conservationists warn this change could dismantle the incidental take permit system, which has historically regulated development and industrial activity in threatened species' habitats and aided in the recovery of species like grizzly bears and bull trout.