For Immediate Release
Washington, DC

Today the Bureau of Land Management released records of decision (RODs) amending the National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy. Revisions to the Obama-era plans will lessen protections for the sage-grouse on tens of millions of acres across the West.

Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO for Defenders of Wildlife, issued this statement:

“Once again the Trump administration demonstrates that it is willing to bend to the will of Big Oil, even at the cost of sage-grouse and their habitat, and the western communities and sustainable economies that depend on these public resources. It’s tragic to see so much progress on sage-grouse conservation undone by these roll backs. Acting Secretary of the Interior Bernhardt characterized these cuts as ‘sanding the rough edges’ of these plans, but this is in fact a hatchet job on sage-grouse conservation.”

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.

  

Media Contact

News

Image
NARW
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Legal Intervention Aims to Protect North Atlantic Right Whales From Deadly Ship Strikes

Conservation groups today filed a motion to intervene to help fight a lawsuit aimed at overturning a seasonal speed rule protecting North Atlantic right whales from deadly vessel strikes. The groups want to defend the rule against a lawsuit brought by a New York vessel owner fined for violating seasonal speed limits. The suit alleges that NOAA Fisheries lacked the statutory authority to issue the rule.
Image
greater sage grouse
Washington, D.C.

Final Rescission of Public Lands Rule Reverses Modern Land Management, Threatens Wildlife Habitat

The Bureau of Land Management today announced a decision to roll back the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, commonly referred to as the Public Lands Rule. The policy modernized how BLM manages our national public lands and represented the critical incorporation of ecological resilience into management alongside traditional resource extraction. The rule required science-based decision-making, conservation considerations within multiple land uses and a focus on sustaining public lands for the long-term benefit of wildlife and the American people.