Endangered Species Act shake-up: The Trump administration finalized a rule narrowing what counts as “harm,” so habitat damage may no longer automatically trigger ESA violations—raising alarms for wildlife survival. Plains spotted skunk listing review: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is starting a 12-month status review after a 90-day finding on a petition to protect the plains spotted skunk under the ESA. Local land-use fight: Ward County is taking concerns about perpetual federal easements on farmland to Congress, arguing restrictions reduce agricultural use without matching tax impacts. Pipeline permit dispute: A North Dakota Public Service Commission attorney said the agency can’t consider public safety when issuing pipeline permits, as a lawsuit challenges the Summit Carbon Solutions approval process. Mining scoping opens: Minnesota’s DNR released public scoping documents for the Tamarack nickel-copper-cobalt project, with ore planned for processing in North Dakota. Water infrastructure push: Senators announced EPW plans to mark up the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, which would fund flood risk, navigation, and ecosystem restoration plus drinking water and wastewater programs. Heat and smoke pressure: A Canada wildfire smoke plume is expected to blanket parts of the northern U.S., while another stretch of dangerous heat with record warm nights threatens health—relevant for North Dakota residents facing similar conditions. Data center debate: A town hall in Watford City drew about 200 people worried about hyperscale data centers’ impacts on agriculture, water, and rural quality of life. Prairie trail work: The Northern Region Pack Train returned to the Dakota Prairie Grasslands to maintain the Maah Daah Hey Trail, replacing missing markers in remote badlands.