Martha’s Vineyard and Massachusetts conservationists fear that changes to the federal Endangered Species Act could threaten piping plovers, right whales and other endangered species that frequent the area. — Ray EwingFor decades, the degradation of critical habitat came under the definition of “harm” and was disallowed under the Endangered Species Act. While some have cheered those efforts, the new changes to the Endangered Species Act have drawn litigation from groups such as the Conservation Law Foundation and the Center for Biological Diversity. “We can still feel very lucky to have the state endangered species act,” she said. That work, along with the Endangered Species Act, has resulted in success stories.