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Piping Plover
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Sends Notice of Intent to Sue the Trump Administration over Rescission of ‘Harm’

Defenders of Wildlife today sent a letter to the Department of Interior and the Department of Commerce signaling its intent to sue over the administration’s rescission of the long-standing definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act.
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Pygmy Rabbit
Washington, D.C.

Defenders of Wildlife Raises Concerns Over Proposed BLM Rule That Would Roll Back Land Health and Grazing Safeguards

Defenders of Wildlife today submitted comments on the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed livestock grazing regulations, urging that healthy public lands and robust public participation in land management must be a priority.
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Single manatee under water  swimming in the hot springs sanctuary in Florida
Washington, D.C.

Trump Administration Rescinds ‘Harm’ Definition, Defenders Prepares for Court

In a devastating blow to wildlife, the Trump administration today formally rescinded the regulatory definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, eliminating the long-standing legal interpretation that habitat destruction that leads to death or injury of protected species is illegal.

Press Releases

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Photo of the White House in Washington, DC
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Finalizes New Rule That Weakens the Endangered Species Act

Tomorrow the Trump administration is slated to finalize a rule that further erodes the Endangered Species Act, the one of the nation’s most effective and most popular laws.
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Sierra Nevada Red Fox
Washington, DC

Interior Finalizes Habitat Definition, Further Undermines the Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule today that defines habitat under the Endangered Species Act and allows the government to deny critical habitat protections for endangered plants and animals—a change that could open lands and waterways to more energy development and other activities.
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Bison Yellowstone National Park snow storm
Las Animas, CO

10 Bison Arrive in Southeastern Colorado, Marking Start of New Conservation Herd

Last Friday, Southern Plains Land Trust (SPLT), Colorado State University (CSU) and Defenders of Wildlife successfully completed the week-long transfer of 10 bison, marking the beginning of a new conservation herd at SPLT’s Heartland Ranch Nature Preserve in southeastern Colorado. After an adjustment period, the bison will be released into their larger pasture.
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Growling wolverine
Missoula, MT

Conservation Groups Sue Feds Over Failure to Protect Wolverines

A coalition of conservation groups filed a lawsuit today challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to withhold Endangered Species Act protection from wolverines in the lower 48 states, where no more than 300 wolverines remain. Without the new conservation efforts that would be triggered by the Endangered Species Act listing, wolverines face localized extinction as a result of climate change, habitat fragmentation and low genetic diversity.
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This desert bighorn sheep was found east of Las Vegas near Lake Mead in Nevada.

Congress Rejects Legislation that Threatens Desert Refuge

Today’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by the U.S. Senate is an important victory for Desert National Wildlife Refuge and the integrity
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
Communications Specialist
estern@defenders.org
202-772-0243