National News

Official Defends Trump Plan to Revamp Endangered Species Act. “A top Trump administration official on Monday defended a plan to revamp the Endangered Species Act, saying the proposed changes would result in more effective, quicker decisions on species protection. Deputy Interior Secretary David Bernhardt dismissed criticism by environmental groups that the plan would “gut” crucial protections for threatened animals and plants. ‘That’s laughable,’ he said, adding that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and other officials ‘respect the law’ and know the law. Bernhardt told an audience at the conservative Heritage Foundation that the Obama administration too often ‘strayed’ from the law to focus solely on species protection without regard for costs to nearby land owners or businesses.” [AP, 9/10/18 (=)]