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Northern Spotted Owl in Tree
WASHINGTON, D.C.

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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Salt Marsh - Cumberland Island
ST. MARYS, GEORGIA

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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2019.08.07 - Florida Panther looking straight at camera - MS 45 - fStop Foundation
WASHINGTON, D.C.

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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Lesser Prairie Chicken
Washington, DC

Lawsuit Seeks Endangered Species Protections for Lesser Prairie Chickens

Conservation groups today sued the Trump administration for failing to protect severely imperiled lesser prairie chickens under the Endangered Species Act.
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A Key deer at National Key Deer Wildlife Refuge on Big Pine Key in the Florida Keys
Washington, DC

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Propose Downgrading or Eliminating Federal Protections for Imperiled Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) released its three-year plan to propose removing 25 threatened or endangered species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act, including the delisting of species that are not yet recovered like the gray wolf in the Lower 48 States, Key deer and Canada lynx.
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SACRAMENTO

Vote Makes Four Native Bumble Bee Species Candidates for Listing under California Endangered Species Act

Today, the California Fish and Game Commission has voted to begin the listing process for four native species of bumble bees as endangered, in an attempt to ensure their survival in the state.
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SACRAMENTO

California Wildlife Organizations Cheer State Budget’s Commitment to Protect Wildlife Habitat

On Sunday, the 2019 Budget Conference Committee approved a ten-year commitment to appropriate $30 million per year to assure conservation of unique and important wildlife habitat throughout the state.
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Piping plover mom and chick
Washington, DC

Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration’s Rollbacks of Offshore Drilling Safety Regs

Ten environmental groups sued the Trump administration today to challenge rollbacks of the 2016 Well Control and Blowout Preventer Rule, a safety regulation meant to prevent another blowout like what happened during the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster.
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