Center for Biological Diversity Sues Over Endangered Species Records

The Freedom of Information Act suit targets the departments of Commerce and the Interior, alongside the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies. Legal counsel for the nonprofit, Ryan Shannon, described the administration's secrecy as an attempt to shield industry-friendly policy shifts from public scrutiny. The complaint alleges that proposed rules would weaken critical habitat designations and allow economic interests to override scientific listing processes.

According to the center’s latest research, 92% of the 2,204 imperiled species face direct threats from habitat destruction. The study, published in PeerJ, highlights that while the Endangered Species Act currently covers 1,682 species, over 10,000 others remain at risk. Co-author Noah Greenwald noted that the federal government listed zero species last year, marking the first such pause since 1981. Although the Fish and Wildlife Service recently signaled it would consider protections for 10 specific species, including the Olympic marmot and the Mount Pinos sooty grouse, the lawsuit aims to force transparency on broader regulatory changes that critics warn could accelerate biodiversity loss.