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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In a devastating blow to wildlife, the Trump administration today formally rescinded the regulatory definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act, eliminating the long-standing legal interpretation that habitat destruction that leads to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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San Joaquin Kit Fox
SACRAMENTO

Gov. Newsom Approves Two Critical Environmental Protection Bills

Today, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) 1788, the California Ecosystems Protection Act of 2020 and earlier this week approved the California Sea Otter Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund (Senate Bill (SB) 587).
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southern resident orca
Seattle, Wash.

Federal Agencies Finalize Lower Snake River Dam Management Plan

This week, federal agencies finalized a management plan for federal dams in the Columbia River Basin through a Record of Decision (ROD). The plan applies to 14 dams and reservoirs that comprise the Columbia River Hydropower System, including four dams in the lower Snake River.
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Guadalupe Canyon, Arizona

Footage shows Further Border Destruction in Arizona Wilderness

As border wall construction continues along the U.S.-Mexico border, more and more landscapes are being bulldozed and blasted to create even ground for building, including last week near Guadalupe Canyon in the Peloncillo Mountains of Arizona.
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Black bears on rocks above Anan Creek Tongass NF
Juneau, AK

U.S. Forest Service Moves to Eliminate Roadless Rule Protections in Alaska

The U.S. Forest Service has released the final environmental impact statement for a regulation that will eliminate the national Roadless Area Conservation Rule on the Tongass National Forest in Southeast Alaska.
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Swift foxes
Harlem, MT

Tribes Begin Five-Year Swift Fox Reintroduction at Fort Belknap

After an absence of more than 50 years, the swift fox has returned to the grasslands of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. From September 12 to 20, the Assiniboine (Nakoda) and Gros Ventre (Aaniiih) Tribes of Fort Belknap released 27 swift foxes in collaboration with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Defenders of Wildlife and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), kickstarting a five-year swift fox reintroduction program.
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