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Trump Administration Advances Roadless Rule Repeal at the Expense of Wildlife, Clean Water and Public Will
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement seeking to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a bedrock law that protects 45 million acres of national forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
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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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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.
Press Releases
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Former Georgia and Federal Officials Decry Proposed Okefenokee Mining Project
In a full-page letter published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution yesterday, a bipartisan group of eight former Georgia and federal officials, including two cabinet secretaries, spoke out against a proposed titanium mine on the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp.
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Biden Administration Will Not Appeal Court Decision to Halt Willow Arctic Drilling Project
The Biden administration decided not to appeal a court decision voiding the flawed Trump-era approvals and permits for ConocoPhillips’ Willow Master Development Plan. The court determined in August that the Interior Department violated the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act.
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Harmful Sage-Grouse Rider Dropped from Senate Interior Approps Bill For the First Time Since 2014
Following the release of the Senate Interior Appropriations bill, both House and Senate bills have excluded the rider preventing Endangered Species Act protections for the greater sage-grouse which has been included in bills since 2014.
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Court Ruling: Federal Government Must Address Poaching in Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Plan
In response to a lawsuit by conservation groups, a judge has ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) must add specific actions to address the poaching of Mexican gray wolves in their plan for the species’ recovery.
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What is Desert Tortoise Week Without Tortoises?
During the week of October 4, 14 federal, state and local government agencies and conservation organizations celebrated the third annual Desert Tortoise Week. This event, organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), provides opportunities for the public to learn about the life history and conservation needs of this iconic desert species.
jcovey@defenders.org
