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Rice's Whale
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Slams Unlawful God Squad Vote to Strip Endangered Species Act Protection from Wildlife in the Gulf

Defenders of Wildlife strongly opposes today’s vote by the Endangered Species Committee, or God Squad, to condemn species to extinction in the name of a fictitious “national security emergency.”
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Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge at sunset
Washington, D.C.

Court Victory for Florida Wetlands Protection

The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled today that permits to build in wetlands should stay in the hands of
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Willet
Washington, D.C.

Sec. of Defense Invokes False “National Security” Rationale to Eviscerate Endangered Species Act Protections for Wildlife in the Gulf

In a litigation filing yesterday in federal district court, the Trump administration publicly admitted for the first time that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum scheduled a snap meeting of the Endangered Species Committee (the “God Squad”) for March 31 at the request of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Press Releases

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Golden eagle in Glacier NP
Washington, DC

Environmental and Public Heath Advocates Agree: Trump is the Worst President for our Environment in History

Ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union address today, national environmental groups agree: no administration has been worse for our environment or our nation's public health than this one.
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National-elk-refuge-USFWS
Jackson, WY

Conservationists Challenge Weak Government Response to Urgent Wildlife Disease Threat at National Elk Refuge

A conservation coalition filed a lawsuit against the FWS challenging the agency's weak plan that leaves elk vulnerable to chronic wasting disease.
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Organ-pipe-cactus-national-monument
Washington, DC

Petition Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Overturn Border-wall Waiver Decisions

Defenders, and three other conservation groups, asked the U.S. Supreme Court today to review federal court rulings that have allowed the Trump administration to waive dozens of environmental, health and safety laws to speed construction of border walls.
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Snowy owl
Washington, DC

Trump Administration Seeks to Cripple Landmark Bird Law

The Trump administration is proposing formal regulations to cement into law a hotly-disputed legal opinion declaring that the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) does not protect migratory birds from harms caused by industrial activities, dramatically undercutting the law’s ability to conserve birds.
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Grizzly Bears, James Yule
Washington, DC

Five Bills Securing Critical Environmental Protections Pass House Committee

The House Natural Resource Committee worked to pass five pieces of legislation (H.R. 4348, H.R. 2748, H.R. 2795, H.R. 5179 and H.R. 2956) that aim to address climate change, protect our nation’s precious wildlife and lands as well as establish a new National Wildlife Refuge.
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