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Washington, DC

BLM Prepares Illegal Move to Open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to Oil & Gas, a Dangerous Precedent for Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife is calling on BLM to withdrawal an unprecedented proposal to open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Utah to new oil and gas leasing.
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Jake Li Testimony at EPW
WASHINGTON, D.C.

A Much-Needed Win for Wildlife: Senate Introduces Bill to Improve Endangered Species Act Implementation

Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Pete Rickets (R-NE) today introduced the Improving Species Recovery Act, an important bipartisan bill that would improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act.
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Porcupine caribou making its way through deep snow on the East Fork of the Chandalar River
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Enough is Enough: Senate Blocks Yet Another Attempt to Prioritize Drilling in the Arctic

The Senate today blocked an attempt to pass S. 5438, introduced by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK). The bill would have ratified and approved all authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental take statements and any other approvals or orders issued pursuant to federal law necessary for the establishment and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program, among other purposes.

Press Releases

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Mother manatee and calf swimming
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

EPA to Be Sued for Failure to Protect Manatees from Water Pollution

Three conservation groups issued a formal notice today of their intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to protect manatees from water pollution
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Yellowstone bison released at Ft. Peck Reservation
Wolf Point, Mont.

56 Bison Transferred from Fort Peck to Tribal Lands

Today, Fort Peck Tribes, the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC), and Defenders of Wildlife are facilitating the transfer of 56 Yellowstone bison to the lands of the Yakama Nation in Washington and the Modoc Nation in Oklahoma.
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Gray wolf adult and pup in grass
Portland, ORE.

Reward for Information About Gray Wolf Poisonings Jumps to Nearly $48,000

Thanks to contributions from private citizens and conservation groups, the reward for information leading to an arrest in the fatal poisoning of eight gray wolves
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Piute Pass sunset, Inyo National Forest, California
Washington, DC

The ‘Recovering America’s Wildlife Act’ Does Not Adequately Respond to the Extinction Crisis

In front of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, testified about the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (RAWA). Ashe spoke on behalf of the association’s 239 accredited members and on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife and its more than 2.2 million members and supporters. In his testimony he emphasized the need for the bill to include more support for federal wildlife conservation programs.
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Florida manatee Crystal River NWR

Federal and State Officials Announce Plan to Feed Malnourished Manatees

Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that the agencies will launch a program to feed malnourished manatees in the Indian River Lagoon.
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