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Running brown bear, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Judge Vacates Land Exchange, Halts Road Through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

A federal judge today vacated an illegal closed-door deal between the U.S. Department of the Interior and a for-profit Alaska Native corporation, King Cove Corp., that exchanged a 10.5-mile corridor of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness lands to enable a road connecting King Cove and Cold Bay.
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Ashley National Forest
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Strongly Opposes USDA Proposal to Dismantle Long-Standing Protections for National Forests

The United States Department of Agriculture today announced that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to fully rescind the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule — a bedrock conservation policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forests for over two decades.
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Bull Trout
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Joins Conservationists In Blasting Federal Proposal to Bulldoze Forestlands

Conservation groups today called a plan by the Trump administration to rescind the U.S. Forest Service’s Roadless Area Conversation Rule an alarming threat to national forests that are overwhelmingly loved by Americans.

Press Releases

Washington, DC

Trump Issues Orders that Undercut NEPA and Jeopardize Wildlife

Today, President Trump signed an executive order that would allow certain federal projects to secure approval without complying with long-standing environmental laws, including the National
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Fall Tundra Izembek NWR
Anchorage, AK

Court shuts down Interior’s second illegal land deal with King Cove Corp

A federal District Court decision released late yesterday resoundingly shut down the Interior Department’s second attempt at an illegal land exchange with the King Cove Corporation to make way for a road through vital protected wetlands in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge.
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San Joaquin Kit foxes
SACRAMENTO

More than 12,000 Acres of Endangered Species Habitat Permanently Protected as ‘North Carrizo Ecological Reserve’ in Response to Defenders Settlement Agreement

The California Fish and Game Commission (FGC) voted in April to permanently protect nearly 20 square miles of land in eastern San Luis Obispo County as the North Carrizo Ecological Reserve.
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Bone Cave Harvestman
AUSTIN, Texas

Court Rejects Koch Brothers-funded Group’s Attack on Rare Texas Arachnid

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today rejected an attack on the Endangered Species Act’s constitutionality brought by a special interest group financed by the Koch brothers.
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Barred Owl in Ontario
Sacramento, CA

More than 175 Leading Scientists Unite to Protect California’s Biodiversity

More than 175 scientists and researchers who live or work in California have joined together in an open letter urging California policymakers to enact Assembly
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
Communications Specialist
estern@defenders.org
202-772-0243