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House to Vote on Gutting Bedrock Endangered Species Act
As the nation celebrates Earth Day this week, the House of Representatives will cast an historic vote on a bill to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, which was enacted more than 50 years ago to protect America’s wildlife from extinction.
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Sec. of Defense Invokes False “National Security” Rationale to Eviscerate Endangered Species Act Protections for Wildlife in the Gulf
In a litigation filing yesterday in federal district court, the Trump administration publicly admitted for the first time that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum scheduled a snap meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the “God Squad”) for March 31 at the request of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
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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.
More Sea Turtles Press Releases
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Florida Passes Ill-Conceived Amendment 2, Wildlife Conflict Could Ensue
Florida voters yesterday affirmed Amendment 2 to the state’s constitution, a wholly unnecessary amendment disguised as an effort to preserve the right to fishing and
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Defenders responds to report on shorebird losses at Boca Chica after SpaceX Starship Launch
Defenders of Wildlife released the following response to a Coastal Bend & Bay Estuaries Program report that points to shorebird nest losses following the June
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A Landmark Victory Enhances Protection of Sea Turtles’ Habitat
Beaches along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida support the largest aggregation of nesting loggerhead sea turtles in the world. Within this range
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Defenders and Healthy Gulf Prevail in Court Case to Protect Imperiled Gulf and Mississippi River Species from Bonnet Carré Spillway Impacts
Defenders of Wildlife and Healthy Gulf won a critical victory for imperiled wildlife in and around the Gulf of Mexico when a district court ruled last night that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and NOAA Fisheries must engage in a prospective Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation for the threatened and endangered species and critical habitat that are affected by Bonnet Carré Spillway openings.
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Conservation Groups Win Lawsuit Challenging Elimination of Critical North Carolina Protections for Sea Turtles and Fish
In a new ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Cape Fear River Watch, North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and Defenders of Wildlife, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, succeeded in challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ unjustified decision to eliminate the agency’s longstanding practice of limiting hopper dredging at Wilmington and Morehead City Harbors to winter months.
jcovey@defenders.org
