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Washington, DC

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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Jake Li Testimony at EPW
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.

Press Releases

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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.
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Pelicans after BP oil spill Gulf of Mexico June 2010
Washington, DC

10th Anniversary of Deepwater Horizon Tragedy Stark Reminder of Oil, Gas Drilling Risks

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, which killed 11 people and spilled more than 210 million gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
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three wolf pups peeking out from logs
Portland, Ore.

Oregon's Annual Wolf Count Reveals Increase in Packs, Decrease in Wolf-Livestock Conflicts

There are six new confirmed wolf packs in Oregon, according to the annual wolf report released Wednesday by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The total wolf population was reported at a minimum of 158 wolves.
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Polar Bears
Anchorage

Bureau of Land Management Moves Forward with Massive Oil and Gas Project During Pandemic

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is moving ahead with public hearings on the Willow project – a massive oil and gas development being pushed by ConocoPhillips – in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska.
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