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Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge at sunset
Washington, D.C.

Court Victory for Florida Wetlands Protection

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled today that permits to build in wetlands should stay in the hands of
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Willet
Washington, D.C.

Sec. of Defense Invokes False “National Security” Rationale to Eviscerate Endangered Species Act Protections for Wildlife in the Gulf

In a litigation filing yesterday in federal district court, the Trump administration publicly admitted for the first time that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum scheduled a snap meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the “God Squad”) for March 31 at the request of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
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SG
Great Falls, MT

Lawsuit Filed Over Trump Administration Abandonment of Sage-Grouse Protections

Montana Wildlife Federation, Defenders of Wildlife, and The Wilderness Society today sued the U.S. Bureau of Land Management over its abandonment of critical protections for

Press Releases

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2015.3.18 - Greater Sage Grouse - Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge - Wyoming - Tom Koerner - FWS
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Opposes Disastrous House Interior Appropriations Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives passed its Interior and Environment appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2025 by a vote of 210-205. Defenders of Wildlife opposes this anti-wildlife bill which includes steep funding cuts and an immense number of anti-wildlife riders.
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2019.08.22 - Fort Peck Bison Release - Cultural herd - MS landscape - Chamois Andersen-DOW
Washington, DC

Yellowstone Bison Contemporary Plan Allows for Ecological and Cultural Values 

Conservation groups offered qualified praise for the new Yellowstone Bison Management Plan after the signing of a final record of decision by the National Park
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Wild gray wolf in the Northwest Peak Roadless Area
Olympia, WA

Wolves Secure Needed Victory in Washington

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today announced its decision to maintain state endangered status for the gray wolf, keeping in place key protections throughout
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Blackfeet Nation Birch Creek - hay bails in foreground
Washington, DC

Defenders Supports New Bill Expanding Investments in Soil Health and Wildlife Habitat on Private Land

Defenders of Wildlife today announced its support for H.R. 8754 introduced by Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA). If passed, the Saving Our Interconnected Lives (SOIL) Act will amend the Farm Bill to encourage agricultural producers to voluntarily conserve soil and wildlife habitat on their land by prioritizing applications for projects that would address both concerns under the Department of Agriculture’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
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2010.12.27 - Florida Manatee - Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge - Florida - Keith Ramos - USFWS
Washington, DC

Defenders Opposes “Breathtakingly Awful” Attempt to Gut Endangered Species Act with Appalling Rewrite

Defenders of Wildlife opposes one of the worst-ever attempts to gut the Endangered Species Act, the “ESA Amendments Act of 2024.” Sponsored by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee, the draft bill being heard today in the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries demolishes many of the core tenets of the landmark conservation bill, warps its foundational reliance on best available science and increases the potential for political interference.
Senior Vice President, External Affairs
lsheehan@defenders.org
(202) 772-3244
Communications Director
mdewane@defenders.org
(202) 772-0217
Communications Specialist
jcovey@defenders.org
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268