For Immediate Release
Washington, DC

 President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address reinforced his commitment to building an ecologically and socially catastrophic, ineffective and offensive wall along the U.S. – Mexico border and forging ahead on an infrastructure proposal that will likely include plans to sell out federal lands and roll back environmental protections for the sake of developers. Both these plans will weaken the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act and the National Environmental Protection Act ignoring important environmental protections that Americans want and deserve.

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

“This State of the Union address leaves no doubt that President Trump is doubling down on his reckless and irresponsible attacks on wildlife and border communities. President Trump should be protecting and restoring our natural and cultural heritage, not tearing it down or selling it out to corporate interests. We’ll be fighting for our lands, waters and wildlife in court and in the halls of Congress, with the support of millions of Americans who refuse to sit by and watch as this administration tries to bulldoze our nation’s conservation legacy.”

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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