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Rice's Whale
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Slams Unlawful God Squad Vote to Strip Endangered Species Act Protection from Wildlife in the Gulf

Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes today’s vote by the Endangered Species Committee, or God Squad, to condemn species to extinction in the name of a fictitious “national security emergency.”
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Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge at sunset
Washington, D.C.

Court Victory for Florida Wetlands Protection

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled today that permits to build in wetlands should stay in the hands of
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Willet
Washington, D.C.

Sec. of Defense Invokes False “National Security” Rationale to Eviscerate Endangered Species Act Protections for Wildlife in the Gulf

In a litigation filing yesterday in federal district court, the Trump administration publicly admitted for the first time that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum scheduled a snap meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the “God Squad”) for March 31 at the request of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Press Releases

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Wolf from the Canyon pack next to road near Norris taken from snowcoach through the glass window
Washington, DC

Groups Challenge Trump Administration Over Gray Wolf Delisting

Today, six environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s rule that removed Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the lower-48 states
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New Mexico meadow jumping mouse in grass
HONOLULU, HAWAI’I

Groups Challenge Trump Administration’s Latest Assaults on the Endangered Species Act

Today Earthjustice filed two lawsuits in the District of Hawai’i in response to the outgoing administration’s most recent attacks on the Endangered Species Act, the law that serves as the last safety net for animals and plants facing extinction. Toward the end of last month, the Trump administration issued two new regulations that strip vital protections from federal lands and other areas that the best available science indicates are necessary for the conservation of threatened and endangered species.
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Wetland of Okefenokee NWR
Washington, DC

Earthjustice, Defenders and others sue to stop EPA rubber-stamping Florida wetlands destruction

Earthjustice filed suit today to stop an attempt by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to allow Florida to fast-track wetlands permits for construction projects that will degrade and ruin Florida’s natural landscape, all in violation of federal environmental laws.
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Northern spotted owl near Roseburg, Oregon
Washington, DC

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Strips 3 Million Acres from Northern Spotted Owl Critical Habitat

Today the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cut back the critical habitat for the northern spotted owl throughout Washington and California. This decision, released in
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baby desert tortoise in shell
Washington, DC

Bureau of Land Management Releases Ill-Conceived Proposal for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan

Today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a proposed amendment to the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP), initially approved under the Obama administration in 2016.
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