A federal judge in Montana restored endangered species protections to grizzly bears in the greater Yellowstone area, cancelling planned trophy hunts in Idaho and Wyoming. Utah’s congressional delegation has an agenda to “modernize” (i.e. destroy ) the Endangered Species Act which they call “government overreach.” A bill sponsored by Senators Mike Lee and Orin Hatch in 2017 would have given states the right to cause species extinction within their borders.
In the House, Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT-1) is currently supporting a package of nine bills that would weaken or destroy endangered species protections. A leaked memo from the Trump administration directs federal agencies to withhold information about enforcement of the Endangered Species act in incidents when political appointees overrule scientific advice.
It seems fair to say that if Republicans keep control of government in the November midterm, some species will face extinction as a consequence.