# Congress Challenges ESA Rule Changes

Democratic lawmakers urged the administration to reverse proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act definitions of “incidental take” and “harm.” The debate raises regulatory uncertainty for agencies and contractors whose projects may involve protected species, environmental review, or federal permitting, but the signal identifies no specific solicitation, contract, funding opportunity, or procurement action.

- Agencies and contractors working on projects affected by species protections may face uncertainty about how the proposed definitions would affect environmental review and permitting.
- Environmental and infrastructure contractors should account for the proposal and congressional oversight in project risk assessments; the signal does not establish a new requirement or compliance deadline.
- The U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce, including the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA, are the relevant federal entities identified in the cluster.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Environment
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** November 11, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)
- U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
- U.S. Congress