FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 3, 2015

Contact: Catalina Tresky: ctresky@defenders.org; (202) 772-0253

 

The Obama Administration, Department of Interior Reinforce Conservation in Agency Decision-Making

WASHINGTON – Today, the Obama administration and the Department of the Interior released a presidential memorandum and new policy, respectively, reinforcing their commitment to addressing the effects of development on wildlife. 

The president’s memo lays out a framework for the Departments of Defense, Interior and Agriculture, the United State Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop clear and consistent policies to mitigate harm to natural resources that potentially result from their decisions.  The Department of the Interior’s policy builds off Secretary Jewell’s Secretarial Order 3330 (Improving Mitigation Practices of the Department of the Interior) and helps the department continue to implement that secretarial order as well as the policies described in today’s presidential memorandum.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, CEO and President of Defenders of Wildlife, issued the following statement:

“I applaud President Obama and Secretary Jewell for their continued efforts to protect wildlife in the face of the ongoing threat of development.  We look forward to working with the federal agencies as they implement these policies to protect our nation’s wildlife heritage.”

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Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.1 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

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.

  

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