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Trump Administration Opens Door to Bear Baiting, Den Hunting in Alaska Preserves
The National Park Service finalized a regulation that abdicates the agency's responsibility to manage wildlife in Alaska's national preserves, deferring instead to state regulations. Defenders of Wildlife condemns the rule, which mirrors a 2020 regulation promulgated by the first Trump administration that was later withdrawn and replaced in 2024.
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BLM Prepares Illegal Move to Open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge to Oil & Gas, a Dangerous Precedent for Wildlife
Defenders of Wildlife is calling on BLM to withdrawal an unprecedented proposal to open Ouray National Wildlife Refuge in Utah to new oil and gas leasing.
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A Much-Needed Win for Wildlife: Senate Introduces Bill to Improve Endangered Species Act Implementation
Senators Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Pete Rickets (R-NE) today introduced the Improving Species Recovery Act, an important bipartisan bill that would improve implementation of the Endangered Species Act.
Press Releases
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How Climate Change Impacts Fires in the West
The U.S. is facing a deadly record-breaking fire season, with nearly 70 (down from 128 two weeks ago) wildfires burning across 12 states.
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Seismic blasting efforts halted in Atlantic Ocean
A status conference on seismic litigation revealed today the industry will not pursue efforts to employ seismic blasting to search the Atlantic Ocean for offshore petroleum deposits this year, and possibly for several years.
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Defenders of Wildlife Condemns Racist Act at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
This week, Defenders of Wildlife joined 51 other conservation and outdoor recreation organizations in sending a letter to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash condemning the recent racist act that took place at the entrance of the park’s Foothills Parkway.
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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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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.
jcovey@defenders.org
