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Defenders of Wildlife Challenges Unprecedented “God Squad” Exemption Allowing Unchecked Gulf Oil Drilling
Defenders of Wildlife today announced it is taking legal action to overturn an unprecedented and unlawful decision by the Endangered Species Committee, known as the “God Squad,” to exempt federal authorizations of oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico through a blanket exemption from the Endangered Species Act’s protections.
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Oregon Governor Signs Historic Bill Investing in the Environment
Defenders of Wildlife is celebrating a monumental victory for wildlife, wild places and local economies in Oregon. Passed with bipartisan support and signed yesterday by
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Congress Urged to Fully Fund U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Restore Workforce
The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife and more than 150 conservation groups today urged Congress to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $299 million to $870 million.
Press Releases
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Cuts to Sea Turtle Recovery Program Will Hurt Species
In June, a report published by the National Park Service recommends decreasing funding for the Padre Island National Seashore Sea Turtle Science and Recovery (STSR) program, even while no alternative funding plan is in place.
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Rep. Huffman Introduces Polar Bear Cub Survival Act
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) introduced the Polar Bear Cub Survival Act of 2020 in response to reports that lease sales in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are imminent. Drilling would further threaten the critically-imperiled Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population, especially by increasing the risk of death to newborn polar bear cubs sheltered in maternal dens in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
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Lawsuit: Government illegally “cut corners” to ram through NEPA changes
A group of 17 environmental organizations in a lawsuit today accused the government of racing through an industry-friendly rewrite of the National Environmental Policy Act
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Female Wolf Removed from Washington's Wolf Pack
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today reported that a non-breeding adult female wolf from the Wedge pack in the Kettle Range in northeast Washington has been lethally removed, leaving two wolves in the pack. This action comes days after WDFW issued a lethal removal order for one wolf in this pack. WDFW has now moved to an evaluation period for both the Wedge and Togo wolf packs.
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Barrels Provide Much-Needed Nesting Habitat for Scarlet Macaws in Mexico
Mexico’s scarlet macaws are finding a nesting refuge in an unlikely place – barrels. This unusual artificial home is used by a reintroduction project in the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve in Veracruz, Mexico. The project, which brings together scientists, NGOs and communities, aims to restore a healthy population of scarlet macaws in the reserve, which is part of its historical range.
jcovey@defenders.org
