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Defenders Expands Legal Challenge to Trump Administration’s Assault on Endangered Species Act
Defenders of Wildlife today filed an amended complaint challenging the Trump administration’s escalating effort to dismantle longstanding protections for threatened and endangered wildlife under the Endangered Species Act.
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NPS Land Swaps and Visitor Plan Open the Door to Devastating Impacts at Cumberland Island
In advance of a public hearing on proposed land exchanges on Cumberland Island National Seashore, Defenders of Wildlife called on the National Park Service to remedy a host of management issues facing one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands on the East Coast.
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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.
Press Releases
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Trump Administration Finalizes Plan to Sell Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to Big Oil
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a final plan to lease the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to the oil and gas industry. This plan comes just hours after the House of Representatives passed HR 1146, which restores protections against drilling on the refuge.
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Statement on U.S. Senate Introduction of SAVE Right Whales Act
Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Tom Carper (D-DE) introduced the Scientific Assistance for Very Endangered (SAVE) Right Whales Act in the U.S. Senate. The bill, a companion to H.R. 1568, would authorize $5 million dollars a year for ten years towards efforts to protect the North Atlantic right whale, one of the world’s most endangered large whale species.
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House Oversight Hearing to Tackle Politically Coerced, Damaging BLM Reorganization
This morning at 10 a.m. (EDT), the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources will conduct an oversight hearing on the Trump administration's proposed
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Defenders of Wildlife Applauds Victories for Sharks, Jaguars at 18th CITES Conference of the Parties but Calls for Protection of Glass Frogs
The 183 Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) met this month to discuss strengthening enforcement in wildlife trade. The countries discussed and reviewed 160 documents and proposals for commercially exploited aquatic species, exotic pets, tropical timber and species including sharks, elephants and big cats, among others.
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Defenders of Wildlife Welcomes Lower Snake River Stakeholder Process as More Orcas are Presumed Dead
The state of Washington Wednesday released details regarding a new stakeholder process to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with removing the four lower Snake River dams.
jcovey@defenders.org
