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

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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