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curled up arctic fox
Washington, D.C.

Senate Votes to Prioritize Oil Over Arctic Conservation

The United States Senate today approved resolutions under the Congressional Review Act to overturn previous Biden administration protections for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, clearing the way for expanded oil and gas drilling.
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Polar bear on beaufort sea ice
Washington, DC

Trump Proposal Puts America’s Most Vulnerable and Valuable Coastal Resources in the Crosshairs

Protected areas across United States coasts are in the sights of a new oil and gas drilling proposal released on Thursday by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
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2021.11.26 - A small herd of caribou in Izembek National Wildlife Refuge - Alaska - Katrina Liebich-UWFWS.jpeg
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

DOI Trades Away Alaskan Refuges, Sells Out Public Lands

The Trump administration dealt a blow to the National Wildlife Refuge System by removing protections from the Arctic and Izembek National Wildlife Refuges. During what

More Polar Bear Press Releases

Lawsuit Launched to Compel Trump Administration Transparency on Arctic Refuge Drilling

Defenders sued the Trump administration today for failing to release public records related to potential exploration, leasing, and drilling on the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.
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Polar Bear
Anchorage, AK

President Trump Moves to Sell Oil Leases in Arctic Refuge in 2019

Department of the Interior officials stated today that the administration will initiate planning this month to lease the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife
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Polar Bear
Washington, DC

Sec. Salazar Urged to Reconsider Shell Oil’s Exploratory Drilling Planned for the Arctic Ocean in Less Than 60 Days

In light of the ongoing Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska Native communities and conservation groups sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today urging him to reconsider his approval of exploratory drilling by Shell Oil due to begin in Alaska’s Arctic Ocean in less than 60 days.
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Pacific walrus
Washington, DC

Defenders of Wildlife Launches Ad Campaign Directed at Discovery Communications Inc

Ads plastering the Silver Spring Metro Station unveiled today in second phase of campaign urging Discovery Communications Inc. to drop plans to broadcast "Sarah Palin's Alaska."
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Polar Bear
Anchorage, AK

New safeguards for polar bears voted down at CITES meeting

Defenders of Wildlife expressed its disappointment today over the decision by the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) not to give greater protection to the polar bear. The following is a statement by Peter Jenkins, Defenders’ Director of International Conservation.
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
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268