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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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U.S. Shortfin Mako Proposal at ICCAT Falls Short
Member countries acknowledge the dire situation the species is facing, but the process towards any consensus has been slow, even as time is running out. A similar meeting last year stalled after the countries couldn’t come to terms.
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Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles Face Greater Threats From National Parks Funding Cuts in Texas
Despite public opinion and science, the Biden administration continues to implement harmful Trump-era cuts to the Sea Turtle Science and Recovery Program (STSR) at Texas’ Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS), leaving endangered sea turtles even more vulnerable.
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House Passes Pro-Wildlife Infrastructure Bill
After months of negotiations, today, the U.S House of Representatives passed its bi-partisan infrastructure bill, INVEST in America Act, H.R.3684, that includes several pro-wildlife provisions, most notably investments to establish a national wildlife corridor protection program.
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Interior Appropriations Includes Wins, Losses for Biodiversity
The House Committee on Appropriations will consider spending for Interior and Environment for fiscal year 2022 this morning. The spending bill includes both wins and losses for biodiversity. In the face of losing 1 million species to extinction, Defenders continues to advocate for increased levels of funding to support threatened and endangered species, and we are particularly disappointed in the low levels of funding for the main U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program responsible implementation of the Endangered Species Act. Nevertheless, the bill also includes some important wins for wildlife.
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Groups urge inclusion of Legacy Roads and Trails Program in Infrastructure Package
As Congress considers infrastructure packages to Build Back Better, conservationists urge legislators to include authorization and funding for the Legacy Roads and Trails program that will address the crumbling road infrastructure on national forest lands and ensure that the road network can sustain an increase in the recreating public as well as the effects of a changing climate. Groups are pleased to see authorization and funding of the program included in infrastructure proposals.
jcovey@defenders.org
