For Immediate Release
Washington, DC

Acting Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt announced that the Atlantic will be included in the 5-year offshore leasing plan for oil and gas development. This plan will replace former President Obama’s 5-year plan, which protected these areas and blocked oil and gas development. The Atlantic Ocean is the only habitat for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

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

“The Trump administration has made one bad decision after another for America’s oceans. On the heels of the Trump administration approving requests from five oil companies to conduct seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean, Acting Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt has continued the pursuit of energy dominance by announcing that the Atlantic Ocean will be opened to drilling.

“Offshore drilling is risky business. President Trump’s plan threatens the survival of our diverse and abundant marine wildlife, including the imperiled North Atlantic right whale.”

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

Polar bear on beaufort sea ice
Washington, DC

Trump Proposal Puts America’s Most Vulnerable and Valuable Coastal Resources in the Crosshairs

Protected areas across United States coasts are in the sights of a new oil and gas drilling proposal released on Thursday by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
A Canada lynx runs through a snow covered ground. Only the front half of it's body shows in the photo, filling the frame. The lynx is looking up.
Washington, D.C.

Trump Administration Seeks ESA Regulatory Rollbacks, Risks Accelerating Extinction for America’s Most Vulnerable Wildlife

In a move that could accelerate the extinction crisis we face today, the Trump administration today proposed significant changes to the regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act, which, for more than 50 years, has served as the backstop to America’s most imperiled wildlife.
Visit the newsroom