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Defenders Slams SPEED Act as it Speeds Toward Habitat Destruction
Defenders of Wildlife condemns Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) SPEED ACT, H.R. 4776 the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, ahead of Thursday’s expected floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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ESA Amendments Act Poses a Historic Threat to America’s Wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife remains on high alert as it braces for the House Natural Resources Committee’s full markup of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. More aptly labeled the Extinction Act, the bill seeks to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, stripping away decades of crucial protections for America’s wildlife and their habitats.
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House Vote Scheduled on Ending Gray Wolf Protections, Undermining the Endangered Species Act
The House of Representatives is expected this Thursday to vote on ending gray wolf protections, prematurely delisting gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act before
Press Releases
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Endangered Species Listing of Sierra Nevada Fisher in California
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced the Southern Sierra Nevada distinct population of fisher (Pekania pennanti) will be listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Trump Administration Decision Spells Disaster for Endangered Black-footed Ferret Recovery
Today, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) finalized an amendment to the Thunder Basin National Grassland management plan that eliminates black-footed ferret recovery and enables widespread destruction of its habitat by lifting restrictions on poisoning and shooting of black-tailed prairie dogs.
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Department of the Interior Announces Sweeping Road Map for Bison Conservation
Last week, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the release of the Bison Conservation Initiative (BCI), a comprehensive plan encouraging cooperation between Interior bureaus and their partners toward conserving American bison. The 10-year plan will apply to all 19 Interior Department herds which collectively contain 11,000 of the 21,000 bison managed as wildlife across the United States.
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Defenders of Wildlife Signals Lawsuit Over U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Failure to Protect Species in Cape Romain
Today, Defenders of Wildlife sent a letter notifying the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that FWS is violating several foundational environmental laws by authorizing the ongoing harvest of thousands of horseshoe crabs in Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
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Conservation and Fishing Organizations win Timely Court Injunction to Protect Endangered San Francisco Bay-Delta Fish
Honorable Judge Dale Drozd, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, issued a preliminary injunction yesterday to stop the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BLM) from proceeding with water operations that would harm imperiled fish in the San Francisco Bay-Delta.
jcovey@defenders.org
