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black-footed ferret at the nat'l black-footed ferret conservation center
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Slams SPEED Act as it Speeds Toward Habitat Destruction

Defenders of Wildlife condemns Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) SPEED ACT, H.R. 4776 the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, ahead of Thursday’s expected floor vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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grizzly bear in Alaska
Washington, D.C.

ESA Amendments Act Poses a Historic Threat to America’s Wildlife

Defenders of Wildlife remains on high alert as it braces for the House Natural Resources Committee’s full markup of Rep. Bruce Westerman’s (R-AR) Endangered Species Amendments Act of 2025. More aptly labeled the Extinction Act, the bill seeks to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act, stripping away decades of crucial protections for America’s wildlife and their habitats.
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gray wolf walking with paw raised and looking at camera
Washington, D.C.

House Vote Scheduled on Ending Gray Wolf Protections, Undermining the Endangered Species Act

The House of Representatives is expected this Thursday to vote on ending gray wolf protections, prematurely delisting gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act before

Press Releases

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Right Whale
New York

New York Offshore Wind Alliance: Public Service Commission Gives NY An Earth Week to Celebrate

New York Offshore Wind Alliance: Public Service Commission Gives NY An Earth Week to Celebrate Authorizes NYSERDA To Solicit Nation’s Largest Offshore Wind Bids Following
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Northern Long-eared Bat
Washington, D.C.

Lawmakers, Conservation Groups Seek to Address Wildlife Trade as Source of Coronavirus Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the U.S., China reopening its wet wildlife markets. These markets, which sell animals in crowded conditions that are unsafe for both wildlife and humans, have been pegged as the most likely place the disease originally spread from wildlife species.
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Hellbender Kat Diersen
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Finalizes Irresponsible, Dangerous Waters of the U.S. Rule

Today, the Trump administration finalized a rollback to the waters of the U.S. rule. Previously, this rule protected streams, wetlands and freshwater bays and the wildlife that call them home. In New Mexico, the replacement rule could leave 90% of our waters unprotected and impact at least 20% of vertebrate wildlife.
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Gray wolf yellowstone Lamar valley
Seattle, Wash.

Annual Count Shows Washington Wolf Population is On the Rise

The wolf population in Washington has increased despite multiple lethal removals due to wolf-livestock conflict, according to the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Plan 2019 Annual Report, released by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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Ocelot
NEW ORLEANS

Lawsuits Challenge Approval of Rio Grande and Annova Fracked Gas Export Facilities in Texas for Harm to Endangered Ocelot

Today, environmental groups filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s approval of the massive Annova LNG fracked gas export terminal proposed for southern Texas, as a companion suit to one the groups filed last week challenging the Rio Grande fracked gas export facility proposed for the same area. These projects threaten to contribute to the extinction of the endangered ocelot in the U.S.
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
jpetrequin@defenders.org
(202) 772-0243
Communications Specialist
kirby@defenders.org
(202) 772-3268