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A kit fox lays in the dirt on BLM land in Utah.
Washington, DC

BLM Moves to Undercut Its Planning Framework and Most Important Conservation Tool

BLM announced a proposed rule to dramatically weaken the framework around land use planning and erode one of the agency's primary tools for conservation.
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Florida Panther
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Following Historic Elections, Environmental & Conservation Groups Urge Senate to Reject Lame-Duck Permitting Deal

Ahead of Monday’s scheduled cloture vote on the motion to proceed to debate Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (S. 5653).
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Mother manatee and calf swimming
Washington, DC

Lawsuit Launched to Compel Critical Habitat for Florida, Antillean Manatees

Defenders of Wildlife and CBD notified the FWS on their intent to sue for failing to finalize critical habitat protections for Florida and Antillean manatees.

Press Releases

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Desert bighorn sheep ram
Washington, DC

House Votes to Give Military Control Over More than 800,000 Acres in Desert National Wildlife Refuge

An amendment to expand military testing and control of 800,000 acres of refuge land in Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada was approved today.
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Sea Otters Holding On

New Research Details Economic Benefits of Sea Otters

A new study published in Science this month describes a predictive model that assesses the economic and ecological benefits of healthy sea otter populations.
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Bald Eagle
Washington, DC

New Climate Proposal Protects Lands and Species

Today, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released its blueprint for congressional action to address the climate crisis.
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Right Whale
Elberon, NJ

North Atlantic Right Whale Found Dead Off New Jersey Coast

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries officials announced today that a dead North Atlantic right whale has been sighted off the coast of Elberon, New Jersey. The whale has not yet been identified, though NOAA and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center are working to secure a necropsy site. Cause of death is unknown. This marks the first confirmed right whale death in U.S. waters in 2020.
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Polar bear walking in Arctic Refuge
Washington, DC

Bureau of Land Management Continues Drumbeat of Drilling in Alaska

Today, the Bureau of Land Management released the pre-publication Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for a revised Integrated Activity Plan for the 22 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (Reserve), located in the state’s Western Arctic region. The final plan undermines protections for the spectacular wildlife values in the Reserve, allowing new leasing, exploration and development in critical polar bear habitat and other important wildlife areas.
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