Trump Administration Delays Bumble Bee's Endangered Status

The population of the rusty-patched bumble bee has been noticeably decreasing over the past couple decades, a worrisome trend that sparked federal conservation efforts. Among those efforts was a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to add the bumble bee to the endangered species list with the ultimate goal of determining how to increase the bee's population numbers. All that has been halted, however, by the Trump administration.

According to a notice recently published by the Fish and Wildlife Service, it has been forced to move its effective date for the endangered species status from February 10 to March 21, doing so 'in accordance with a January 20, 2017, memo from the White House...'

This memo requires federal agencies to temporarily halt the effective dates for their respective plans for 60 days past January 20th, if the effective date is for 'any regulations that have published in the Federal Register but not yet taken effect.' Why? Per the statement, it is so the Trump administration can review 'questions of fact, law, and policy' surrounding the regulations.

At best, the White House's freeze on upcoming regulations has delayed the bumble bee's endangered status until the end of March. Whether the regulation will ever be allowed to proceed and become effective is anyone's guess at this point, but the administration's general hostility toward all things regulations and environment have conservationists worried. Any significant delay could result in the extinction of this species.

SOURCE: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service