FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 7, 2016

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Jennifer Witherspoon: Defenders of Wildlife, (202) 772-0269, jwitherspoon@defenders.org

DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE CONDEMNS EPA NOMINATION

WASHINGTON (December 7, 2016) – President-elect Donald Trump plans to nominate Scott Pruitt, the attorney general of Oklahoma who has led legal opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) climate policies, as the new administrator of the agency.

The following is a statement from CEO and President of Defenders of Wildlife, Jamie Rappaport Clark:

“Scott Pruitt is the absolute wrong choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. Climate change is an undeniable and growing threat to our nation. We need a leader for EPA who fully appreciates the gravity of the menace that climate change poses for our nation’s public health, our wildlife and our environment, and is prepared to use the full force of our nation’s strong environmental laws to curb that threat. Mr. Pruitt is plainly not that person.”

###
 

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.2 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org. For the latest news from Defenders, follow us at @DefendersNews

 

For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on X @Defenders.

  

News

Image
black-footed ferret at the nat'l black-footed ferret conservation center
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Slams SPEED Act as it Speeds Toward Habitat Destruction

Defenders of Wildlife condemns Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) SPEED ACT, H.R. 4776 the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, ahead of Thursday’s expected floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Image
grizzly bear in Alaska
Washington, D.C.

ESA Amendments Act Poses a Historic Threat to America’s Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife remains on high alert as it braces for the House Natural Resources Committee’s full markup of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. More aptly labeled the Extinction Act, the bill seeks to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, stripping away decades of crucial protections for America’s wildlife and their habitats.