Trump's wildlife agency stems release of documents about endangered species

In the midst of an administration-wide attack on wildlife protections, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is instructing its staff to respond conservatively, or not at all, to Freedom of Information Act requests related to endangered species. Leaked documents obtained by The Guardian show FWS officials directing staff to carefully review requested documents to see if they might cause “foreseeable harm” to the federal government, particularly in the defense of its rollbacks, in court. The move is particularly troubling, considering the wave of litigation against the Trump administration and the critical role of released FOIA documents in proving government wrongdoing. In the past, environmental organizations, including NRDC, have had to go so far as to sue the administration in order to force release of important documents. So much for the administration's dedication to transparency.