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Female Karner Blue Butterfly
WASHINGTON, D.C.

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.
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Porcupine caribou making its way through deep snow on the East Fork of the Chandalar River
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Enough is Enough: Senate Blocks Yet Another Attempt to Prioritize Drilling in the Arctic

The Senate today blocked an attempt to pass S. 5438, introduced by Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK). The bill would have ratified and approved all authorizations, permits, verifications, extensions, biological opinions, incidental take statements and any other approvals or orders issued pursuant to federal law necessary for the establishment and administration of the Coastal Plain oil and gas leasing program, among other purposes.
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Juvenile California Condor
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Senate Permitting Deal Threatens Bedrock Endangered Species Protections

Defenders of Wildlife today strongly condemned Endangered Species Act provisions reportedly included in a Senate permitting package, warning they would weaken critical protections for imperiled wildlife.

Press Releases

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Sea otters
SACRAMENTO

Sea Otter Tax Fund Legislation Passes Legislature, Moves to Gov. Newsom for Signature

This week, Senate Bill (SB) 587, the California Sea Otter Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, passed the state legislature and will now move to Governor Newsom’s desk for signature.
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Tamanawas Falls, Mt Hood National Forest
Washington, DC

Proposed rule cuts the public out of oil and gas leasing decisions for National Forests

On September 1, the administration will release its plan to make it easier for companies to drill for oil and gas on U.S. Forest Service lands. The proposed rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday.
Anchorage, AK

Defenders Sues to Protect Alaska’s Bears and Wolves

A lawsuit filed today in federal District Court in Alaska charges the Interior Department and National Park Service with violating multiple laws when adopting a rule that would open up national preserves in Alaska to hunting practices like baiting brown bears and killing wolves during the denning season.
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Perching bald eagle
Washington, DC

New Senate Climate Plan Takes Aim at Fossil Fuel Industry

Today, the Senate Democrats’ Special Committee on the Climate Crisis released its 200-page plan for addressing climate change by accelerating the transition to a clean
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Polar Bears
Anchorage, AK

Groups sue Trump agency for illegal plan to expand leasing, drilling in the Reserve

Six groups filed a lawsuit Monday, August 24 in U.S. District Court charging the U.S. Bureau of Land Management with breaking the law by advancing a new management plan for Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve that would give the vast majority of the nation’s largest unit of public land to oil companies. This effort to expand fossil fuel exploitation in the western Arctic would increase harmful climate impacts, diminish public health, degrade land, water and air, and encroach on long-protected areas vital to wildlife and people.
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