Defenders of Wildlife Voices Strong Opposition to Expected Trump Executive Orders

Ahead of today’s inauguration, Defenders of Wildlife is voicing strong opposition to a slate of expected executive orders that President-elect Donald Trump has proclaimed he will pursue on day one of his administration. The proposed executive orders, as reported by the media, will directly threaten bedrock conservation and environmental laws and regulations that have protected wild spaces, species and habitats for decades. 

"While we don't know the exact details of the executive orders President-elect Trump will be issuing, we have every reason to believe that the science and rule of law that guide the protection and management of wildlife and critical habitat will be carelessly discarded to achieve his goal of increasing the extraction of climate altering fossil fuels,” said Andrew Bowman, Defenders of Wildlife president and CEO.  “President Trump’s election to office did not come with a mandate to deny Americans a clean and healthy environment or destroy decades of conservation successes that have ensured the survival and recovery of some of America's most iconic species, including the bald eagle, which was newly named our country’s national bird and is only with us today thanks to the Endangered Species Act.”

The suite of executive orders President-elect Trump is expected to usher in could:

• Open a clear path for industry to exploit natural resources and pollute fragile habitats without consequence, by reinstating his March 28, 2017 Executive Order, “Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth.”
• Reverse President Biden's ban on offshore drilling along the East and West Coasts and in the Arctic by reinstating his May 3, 2017 Executive Order, "Implementing an America-First Offshore Energy Strategy.”
• Reopen the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling.
• Reinstate “Schedule F,” which would allow political appointees to easily punish, intimidate and fire federal agency scientists and other experts.
• Declare a “National Energy Emergency,” which could suspend Clear Air Act requirements and other bedrock environmental laws.

“Thankfully we have allies on Capitol Hill who value wildlife and wild places and wish to preserve them for future generations. We look forward to working with them to address the pressing needs of our country along with the needs of our imperiled wildlife,” Bowman concluded.

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