Washington, D.C.

The Trump administration late last week reinstated a dangerous opinion under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act from the president’s first term that allows extractive energy industries to harm or kill migratory birds in the name of seeking energy dominance. The opinion on incidental take exempts industries from being held accountable for the unintentional, but foreseeable, killing of birds during industrial activities.

“Rolling back these kinds of protections for migratory birds such as snowy owls, red-winged blackbirds, and white pelicans will undoubtedly result in the deaths of tens of thousands of birds,” said Daniel Moss, senior government relations representative at Defenders of Wildlife. “This action is particularly egregious as we approach the 15th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon explosion which resulted in catastrophic mortality rates for sea birds. Only thanks to the MBTA, BP was forced to pay $100 million in fines.  Weakening this law by giving businesses a free pass to do harm is the exact opposite of what our government should be doing.”

In 2020, the Southern District of New York declared the first Trump administration’s attempt to strip the MBTA of incidental take protections illegal, upholding the long-standing previous interpretation of the law.

Scientists estimate three billion birds have been lost across North America since 1970.  

###

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 activists, 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.

  

Media Contact

Communications Director
mdewane@defenders.org
(202) 772-0217

News

Image
Mojave Desert Tortoise
Washington, D.C.

Trump Administration Guts Public Comments for Federal Projects

The Trump administration has gutted the National Environmental Policy Act by restricting the public’s ability to participate in government decision-making and understand how our tax dollars are being spent.
Image
US Capitol Building Washington DC
Washington, D.C.

Senate Budget Reconciliation Strikes Heart of American Wildlife, Wild Places

Defenders of Wildlife hammered the Senate’s version of the budget reconciliation bill for striking at the heart of America’s wildlife and wild places.