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2021.08.11 - Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge - Federal Lands Team Tour of Wildlife Refuges - Barb Buchholz.jpg
Washington, D.C.

Department of Interior’s “Emergency Declaration” Suppresses Public Input and Strips Safeguards for Endangered Species

Last night, the Trump administration announced emergency procedures to fast-track oil, gas, and mining projects on national lands. The emergency procedures remove opportunities for meaningful
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Andre Johnson / iStock Photo
Washington, DC

Defenders Endorses Bills to Secure a Future Against Offshore Drilling

Defenders of Wildlife today endorsed a suite of bills introduced in Congress to safeguard U.S. coastal waters against the threat of offshore oil and gas
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2012.03.13 - Manta Ray Gliding Over a Reef - Kevin Lino - NOAA.jpg
Washington, DC

Defenders Statement on Trump Rollback Opening Marine Monument to Fishing Industry

On Thursday, April 17, the Trump Administration issued a proclamation calling for the opening of commercial fishing in waters of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine

Press Releases

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Loggerhead sea turtle
St. Petersburg, FL

Feds to Be Sued for Weakening Sea Turtle Protections

Conservation groups issued a formal notice today of their intent to sue the National Marine Fisheries Service for drastically weakening rules that prevent sea turtles from dying in shrimp trawl nets.
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Misty Forest - Green Swamp Preserve - North Carolina
Washington, DC

Lawsuit: Stop Trump administration’s parting shot at national forests

A lawsuit filed today seeks to reverse the Trump administration’s elimination of critical safeguards that have protected national forests from unneeded, ill-conceived and destructive logging, road building, and utility right-of-way projects.
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Polar Bears
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Attempt to Sell Out the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Flops

Today’s lease sale for the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge continues the Trump administration’s destructive attack on our nation’s public lands and wildlife. Today, three entities were identified as the successful bidders on 11 tracts, yielding a paltry $7 million to the federal treasury because the state of Alaska receives half of the sale price of $14 million. The failed lease sale underscores a lack of interest in developing the Arctic refuge and sets up an incoming Biden administration to reverse course to permanently protect the refuge.
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Pair of ruby throated hummingbirds on a branch
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Pulls Protections for Migratory Birds

Despite nearly 200,000 public comments defending the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and a decisive loss in the federal courts, the administration is still trying to cement into law its (now illegal) plan to strip protections from migratory birds.
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Polar Bear
Anchorage, AK

Bureau of Land Management Finalizes Western Arctic Drilling Plan

Today, the Bureau of Land Management released the Record of Decision for a revised Integrated Activity Plan for the 22 million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (Reserve), located in the state’s Western Arctic region.
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
zklein@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268