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Trump Administration Advances Roadless Rule Repeal at the Expense of Wildlife, Clean Water and Public Will
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement seeking to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a bedrock law that protects 45 million acres of national forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
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Judge Vacates Land Exchange, Halts Road Through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge
A federal judge today vacated an illegal closed-door deal between the U.S. Department of the Interior and a for-profit Alaska Native corporation, King Cove Corp., that exchanged a 10.5-mile corridor of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness lands to enable a road connecting King Cove and Cold Bay.
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Defenders Strongly Opposes USDA Proposal to Dismantle Long-Standing Protections for National Forests
The United States Department of Agriculture today announced that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to fully rescind the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule — a bedrock conservation policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forests for over two decades.
Press Releases
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6 Reasons Why You Should Care About Wolves
As a top predator, wolves are essential to maintaining the health of many ecosystems around the world. With their piercing looks and melancholy howls, wolves
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CA Fish and Game Commission Moves to Change Desert Tortoise Status from Threatened to Endangered
The California Fish and Game Commission voted today to move forward with strengthening protections for the Agassiz’s desert tortoise under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).
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Finding Refuge: Endangered Species and the National Wildlife Refuge System
Defenders of Wildlife and the National Wildlife Refuge Association used hundreds of federal documents and data to develop an up-to-date list of species found on the National Wildlife Refuge System. In a new report, they found that 513 ESA-listed species—nearly one-third of all U.S.-listed species—are found on (or depend on) at least 444 of the 568 wildlife refuges.
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Lawsuit Launched Over Federal Refusal to Protect Wolverines
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service denied protection today to the rare and elusive wolverine under the Endangered Species Act, prompting a coalition of conservation groups to announce their intention to file a notice of intent to sue as soon as the final rule is published in the Federal Register.
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Newsom Executive Order Sets Biodiversity, Working Lands Protection Goals
Today, Governor Newsom signed an executive order (EO) focused on protecting California’s biodiversity and natural working lands.
jcovey@defenders.org
