This might be Watch Powerthe Trump administration's first pro-environment move.
The rusty patched bumblebee is now on the endangered species list, making it the first bee species in the continental United States to be considered endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced this week.
SEE ALSO: Not everyone's thrilled Cheerios gave away 1.5 billion wildflower seeds to save the beesThe species is "balancing precariously on the brink of extinction," the agency said on Tuesday. "Just 20 years ago, the rusty patched bumblebee was a common sight, so ordinary that it went almost unnoticed as it moved from flower to flower, collecting nectar and pollen."
The decision came as a huge relief to environmentalists, who said they worried the Trump administration would scrap the effort.
Via GiphyThe FWS had approved the bee's endangered listing in the final days of the Obama administration. Shortly after taking office, however, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping "freeze" on Obama-era federal regulations.
On Feb. 9, a day before the bee order was supposed to take effect, the Trump administration delayed the listing until Feb. 21. The Natural Resources Defense Council quickly filed a lawsuit asking a federal court to stop FWS from "violating the law" by delaying the rule without public comment or notice.
"The Trump administration reversed course and listed the rusty patched bumblebee as an endangered species just in the nick of time," Rebecca Riley, a senior attorney with the environmental group, said in a statement released this week.
Now the real work can begin.
By listing a species as endangered, the FWS is required to devise plans for creating "a healthy and secure condition" in the areas where the species is native. That might mean limiting or redefining development in places that are critical to the species' survival.
Another bee under threat: honey bees. Credit: natalie behring/Getty Images A handful of business groups, including the American Petroleum Institute and the National Association of Home Builders, filed an "emergency petition" asking Trump officials to extend the freeze until Jan. 11, 2018.
Opponents said the Obama administration didn't take enough time to consider how the bee's listing would "profoundly" affect human activities, such as residential development and crop production.
But efforts to protect rusty patched bumblebees had been underway for years.
Once common across the East Coast and Midwest, the bee species has disappeared from about 90 percent of its range in the past two decades. As with many bee types and pollinators, heavy use of pesticides, sprawling real estate development, climate change and other factors have contributed to staggering population declines.
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Nectar-loving pollinators play a vital role in sustaining our ecosystems by enabling plants and food crops to thrive and reproduce. As their habitats shrink, however, so do their numbers.
The Xerces Society, which filed the petition triggering the government's consideration of the rusty patched, said it was "thrilled to see one of North America's most endangered species" receive much-needed protection.
"This is a positive step towards the conservation of this species, and we now have to roll up our sleeves to begin the actual on-the-ground conservation that will help it move toward recovery," Sarina Jepsen, director of endangered species at the Xerces Society, said in a statement.
Topics Donald Trump Politics
Getting Started with Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts
Uber beware: Didi
Brave 'Dreamer' shares mental trauma as Trump mulls DACA's end
Xiaomi advertises its first Android One phone as 'similar to iPhone'
Best AirPods deal: Apple AirPods 4 for $99.99 at Amazon
Heinz's new Australian ad could be mistaken for a Pixar short film
Uber beware: Didi
Paul Bettany would make a great 'Star Wars' space pirate, FWIW
E3 2017 Trailer Roundup: Upcoming PC Games
WhatsApp rolls out new features for businesses to chat with customers
The Ideal Smartphone for 2017
Verizon will now trade you your personal data for ... concert tickets
Hurricane Harvey cat shows the internet how to triumph over adversity
Malicious hackers attack media startup after Hillary Clinton endorses it
Segway Xyber is a wickedly quick e
This Whole Foods map of French cheese is a crime against dairy
Paul Bettany would make a great 'Star Wars' space pirate, FWIW
Another reason why dogs are the best. Oh, and Chris Evans
Australia vs. India 2024 livestream: Watch 5th Test for free
WhatsApp rolls out new features for businesses to chat with customers
Not even Kristen Stewart can save tepid 'Seberg': ReviewThe 'Downton Abbey' movie is the horniest PGA 'Pro' iPhone should start with more than 64GB of storageApple's iPhone 11 Pro has 6GB of RAM, report claimsThe LGBTQ community is coming to march and werk on WashingtonAndroid phones already have all the new iPhone 11 featuresHere are some other things Trump's $15 billion wall budget could be spent onLittle maestro expertly commands the band in an Istanbul subwayHow to watch Apple's big iPhone eventCNBC's Trump tweet alert is a new level of absurdApple finally confirms Apple TV+ release date and priceWhat one 'Supergirl' story arc taught me about coming outLast minute iPhone rumor: No reverse wireless chargingTrump capping a pen with his tiny hands gets a huge Photoshop battleThis kitten took his love for peanut butter to a whole new levelThe maxed out iPhone 11 Pro Max costs $1,449What one 'Supergirl' story arc taught me about coming outA 'Pro' iPhone should start with more than 64GB of storageTrump is going to build that damn wall and all people can talk about is avocadosThat kid who said 'screw our president' is apparently Drew Carey's son The best tweets of 2018 so far 'Elden Ring' means a paid day off for one lucky company How to use the Instagram Professional Dashboard feature Obama says we have a 'right to be concerned' but to focus on 'hope' Canada Day Twitter sure is filled with apologies from U.S. residents In astounding space scene, two galaxies pummeled through each other Elizabeth Warren got a new puppy because everything else is bad How to turn on iOS' dark mode on your iPhone Here's why these 7 celebrities shouldn't run for president in 2020 Church puts their nativity scene in a cage to protest Trump's immigration policies Amazon Alexa is full of obviously wrong answers submitted by users Survey says Americans are having less sex. Why? How to turn on Slack's dark mode Drake confirmed that he has a son on his new album, proving Pusha T right How to schedule Instagram lives Tesla Model Y named best EV on Cars.com Salesforce employees protest company's NFT plans Woman wakes up in morgue after being declared dead Please enjoy this video of 2 penguins taking a romantic beachside stroll Tumblr lets you remove ads by paying a subscription fee
2.0242s , 10138.9140625 kb
Copyright © 2025 Powered by 【Watch Power】,Inspiration Information Network