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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Memo Underscores Trump Administration’s All-Fronts War on Wildlife
Brian Nesvik, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, issued a memorandum explaining to FWS staff that the Endangered Species Act’s prohibition on unauthorized “take” applies only to affirmative acts intentionally and purposefully directed at a particular animal. This follows the Trump administration’s rescission of the regulatory definitions of “harm” under the ESA, which took effect this week.
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Court Rules Habitat Must Be Protected After FWS Attempts to Waive Protections for Less Than 40 Sierra Nevada Red Fox
Defenders of Wildlife earned a significant victory for the Endangered Species Act today when a federal district court found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's decision to not designate critical habitat for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox was a violation of the law.
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Construction on Gateway to Road through Izembek Continues
The Ninth Circuit today denied Defenders of Wildlife’s emergency motion to halt construction on King Cove Corp.’s 2.8-mile road segment leading to the doorstep of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness. Defenders’ request for immediate injunctive relief marks the latest stage in its larger effort to block a damaging and precedent-setting road from King Cove to Cold Bay, Alaska, that would plow through the heart of Izembek.
Press Releases
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Proposed Legislation on Military Use of Desert National Wildlife Refuge Shortchanges Wildlife Protection
Today Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced legislation that would renew military use of the Nevada Test and Training Range and expand Air Force control over Desert National Wildlife Refuge.
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Bad News for Wildlife: Border Wall Funding Approved in 2020 Spending Bill
After weeks of negotiations, Congress unveiled the $1.4 trillion package that will raise discretionary federal spending by $49 billion for the rest of fiscal 2020.
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Two More Mexican Gray Wolves Caught in Traps as Incidents Continue in New Mexico
Defenders of Wildlife has learned that two more Mexican gray wolves were recently caught in foothold traps in New Mexico.
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Defenders Statement on National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Lease Sale, IAP Hearing
The Trump administration will be holding an oil and gas lease sale for 4 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) today. Lease sales in the NPRA have been held annually since 2011. The last two lease sales in the reserve brought in $1 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Announces Red Wolf Transfer to Recovery Area in North Carolina
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced that they will transfer three critically-endangered Red Wolves to the Red Wolf Recovery Area in eastern North Carolina.
jcovey@defenders.org
