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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
Trump Administration Tries to Bury Climate Change Assessment
The Trump administration released today the Fourth National Climate Assessment, measuring the impact of climate change on the U.S. and its territories. The federal government
Trump Administration Ignores Science, Pushes More Logging, Environmental Rollbacks
Today, Interior Secretary Zinke and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, held a briefing call on recent wildfires and forest management. They discussed the Trump administration’s
Orca Task Force Final Recommendations Good, Not Bold
Governor Jay Inslee’s emergency Orca Task Force released its final recommendations today. The recommendations include an increased commitment to funding salmon habitat restoration, increasing water
Last-Ditch Congressional Attack on Wolves Heads for Floor Vote
The House of Representatives will be holding a last-ditch vote to undermine the Endangered Species Act by stripping protections from most gray wolves across the
Trump Administration Seeks Even More Arctic Industrialization
The Trump administration continued its assault today on the fragile ecosystems of Alaska’s Arctic, announcing that it is revising the management plan for the National
jcovey@defenders.org
