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Trump Administration Calls on “God Squad” to Weaken Endangered Species Act Protections
The Trump administration today announced its intent to convene the Endangered Species Committee — colloquially known as the “God Squad”— on March 31, 2026, to consider an exemption under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for oil and gas-related activities in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Defenders of Wildlife Unveils 2025 Conservation Report Card for 119th Congress
Defenders of Wildlife today released its 2025 Conservation Report Card for the 119th Congress, measuring members’ commitment to upholding federal laws that protect wildlife conservation during its first session.
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Defenders of Wildlife Sues FWS Over Extensive FOIA Request Delays
Defenders of Wildlife today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, citing the agency’s extensive delay in fulfilling eight Freedom of Information Act requests related to land exchanges within the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Press Releases
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Defenders of Wildlife and Leading Climate, Conservation and Indigenous Groups Respond to Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for Controversial Alaska Oil Project
Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) addressing the implications of ConocoPhillips’ Willow Project for America’s Western Arctic.
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Court: Federal Failure to Protect Right Whales from Deadly Entanglements Violates Law
A federal court ruled in favor of the Center for Biological Diversity, Conservation Law Foundation, and Defenders of Wildlife in a long-running case challenging NOAA Fisheries’ failure to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from deadly entanglements in American lobster fishing gear.
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Delaware Bay Red Knot Shorebird Numbers Remain Historically Low Despite Modest Increase
The Delaware Bay Shorebird Project, which has assessed shorebird numbers in the region for 26 years, found that the threatened red knot shorebird’s numbers remained at historically low levels in 2022.
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Federal Court Restores Critical Endangered Species Act Protections
Today, in a win for wildlife protection and conservation, a federal district court restored comprehensive Endangered Species Act regulatory protections to hundreds of species.
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Supreme Court Guts Clean Air Act
In the case of West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 today to significantly narrow the scope of the Clean Air Act, causing a major setback for President Biden’s plan to rein in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel-burning powerplants.
jcovey@defenders.org
