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US Capitol Building Washington DC
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Opposes Reckless Reconciliation Energy Permitting Provisions in House Energy and Commerce Reconciliation Bill

Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes the energy permitting provisions proposed in the draft Energy and Commerce Committee section of the House budget reconciliation bill.
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I'iwi bird - red bird on plant
Washington, D.C.

New Research Paper Finds Gaps in ESA Habitat Conservation Plan Program, Identifies Solutions

A new research paper by Defenders of Wildlife’s Center for Conservation Innovation on the Endangered Species Act’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) program reveals concerning information gaps inhibiting the complete assessment of the program’s impact and conservation outcomes.
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Brown Headed Cowbirds
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Applauds Rep. Huffman for New Migratory Bird Protection Act

Defenders of Wildlife today applauds Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) for his introduction of the Migratory Bird Protection Act of 2025.

Press Releases

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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.
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Polar Bears
Anchorage, AK

Groups rush to court to stop ConocoPhillips’ Willow project winter road construction and gravel mining

Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic and five allied groups filed a motion in the U.S. District Court today requesting a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order to stop ConocoPhillips from starting winter road construction and gravel mining for its Willow project.
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Black bears on rocks above Anan Creek Tongass NF
Juneau, AK

Lawsuit Takes Aim at Trump Administration Decision to Gut Tongass National Forest Protections

Alaska’s 17-million-acre Tongass National Forest, sometimes called America’s Amazon, has faced a grave threat since the Trump administration stripped away critical safeguards against logging by exempting it from the federal Roadless Rule just before the election. Today, a wide-ranging coalition of Indigenous Tribes from Southeast Alaska, businesses, and conservation organizations filed a lawsuit targeting the Trump administration rollback.
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Sage grouse
Washington, DC

Year-End Legislation Is Mixed Bag for Wildlife

Congress passed its $1.4 trillion Omnibus spending bill along with other year-end legislation which includes both wins and losses for wildlife. The legislation has some
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