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black-footed ferret at the nat'l black-footed ferret conservation center
Washington, D.C.

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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grizzly bear in Alaska
Washington, D.C.

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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gray wolf walking with paw raised and looking at camera
Washington, D.C.

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

House Proposal Could Wipe Out Sage-Grouse Across Much of the West

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2015 Contact: Courtney Sexton, csexton@defenders.org, 202.772.0253 Virginia Cramer, Virginia.cramer@sierraclub.org, 804.519.8449 Elizabeth Heyd, eheyd@nrdc.org , 202.289.2424 House Proposal Could Wipe Out

New Study Documents Continued Sage-Grouse Population Declines

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2015 Contact: Courtney Sexton, csexton@defenders.org, 202.772.0253 New Study Documents Continued Sage-Grouse Population Declines Bird on the brink remains imperiled in

Oregon Officials Consider Reducing Protection for Wolves

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2015 Suzanne Stone: sstone@defenders.org; (208) 861-4655 Melanie Gade: mgade@defenders.org ; (202) 772-0288 Oregon Officials Consider Reducing Protection for Wolves BEND

Defenders of Wildlife Calls for New Shark Protections

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 23, 2015 Contact: Melanie Gade: mgade@defenders.org (202) 772-0288 Defenders of Wildlife Calls for New Shark Protections WASHINGTON–Defenders of Wildlife has petitioned
Glendive, MT

Feds Proceed with Dam Construction on Yellowstone River, Putting Last Wild Population of Ancient “Dinosaur” Fish at Risk

The Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) announced they will build a concrete dam across the lower Yellowstone River near Glendive, Montana. The dam will cause irreparable harm to the nation’s largest wild population of endangered pallid sturgeon, an ancient fish species with ancestors dating back to the time of dinosaurs, living in the upper Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers as well as several other fish species using the lower Yellowstone
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
jpetrequin@defenders.org
(202) 772-0243
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268