Trump is gutting the Endangered Species Act. These 10 species show what’s at stake.

This is wildlife and environmental policy news, not an energy-efficiency story, so it doesn't connect to home upgrades or rebates. Still, here's what happened.

The Trump administration has narrowed two key terms in the Endangered Species Act. Destroying the habitat where a threatened or endangered species breeds, feeds, or shelters will no longer trigger federal penalties. And "take" — once covering any harm to a species — now applies only to intentional killing. Nearly two dozen state attorneys general have sued over the changes.

The practical effect, according to wildlife advocates and biologists quoted in the reporting, is that construction, logging, and development projects near habitat for species like the North Atlantic right whale, Florida panther, California sea otter, bull trout, rusty patched bumble bee, and eastern massasauga rattlesnake may no longer need federal sign-off, since harming habitat or accidentally killing an animal during work would not count as a violation. Some species, like the eastern hellbender salamander, have been waiting years for a listing decision that still hasn't come — no species has been listed as endangered since the administration took office. State laws in places like Michigan or New York may still offer some protection, but advocates say those vary widely and don't match what the federal law used to require.