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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memo Underscores Trump Administration’s All-Fronts War on Wildlife
Brian Nesvik, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a memorandum explaining to FWS staff that the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on unauthorized “take” applies only to affirmative acts intentionally and purposefully directed at a particular animal. This follows the Trump administration’s rescission of the regulatory definitions of “harm” under the ESA, which took effect this week.
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Court Rules Habitat Must Be Protected After FWS Attempts to Waive Protections for Less Than 40 Sierra Nevada Red Fox
Defenders of Wildlife earned a significant victory for the Endangered Species Act today when a federal district court found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to not designate critical habitat for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox was a violation of the law.
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Construction on Gateway to Road through Izembek Continues
The Ninth Circuit today denied Defenders of Wildlife’s emergency motion to halt construction on King Cove Corp.’s 2.8-mile road segment leading to the doorstep of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness. Defenders’ request for immediate injunctive relief marks the latest stage in its larger effort to block a damaging and precedent-setting road from King Cove to Cold Bay, Alaska, that would plow through the heart of Izembek.
Press Releases
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Conservation Groups Demand Endangered Species Protections for Hickory Nut Gorge Green Salamander
Defenders of Wildlife and the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to protect the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamanders under the Endangered Species Act.
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Defenders of Wildlife Chides FAA Failure to Conduct EIS for SpaceX Launch Site
Defenders of Wildlife Senior Texas Representative Dr. Sharon Wilcox issued the following statement in response to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announcement today that the
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Conservation Groups Sue U.S. Forest Service Over Continued Refusal to Hand Over Trump-Era Rollback Records
Defenders of Wildlife and the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday, alleging that the agency is violating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by continually denying requests to access records about new rules that reduce requirements for environmental analysis and public input.
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Defenders of Wildlife Encouraged by Proposed Rule to Strengthen Protections for Imperiled Species Affected by Climate Change
Today, the Biden administration proposed a new rule to significantly strengthen the federal government’s ability to protect threatened and endangered species in the face of
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More than 26,780 People Sign Defenders of Wildlife Petition to Protect Midwestern Wildlife Refuge from Industrial Threats
In a petition with more than 26,780 signatures, Defenders of Wildlife urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to take swift action to protect
jcovey@defenders.org
