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Charles J. Sharp
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Trump Administration Advances Roadless Rule Repeal at the Expense of Wildlife, Clean Water and Public Will

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today released its proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement seeking to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a bedrock law that protects 45 million acres of national forests managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
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Running brown bear, Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Judge Vacates Land Exchange, Halts Road Through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge

A federal judge today vacated an illegal closed-door deal between the U.S. Department of the Interior and a for-profit Alaska Native corporation, King Cove Corp., that exchanged a 10.5-mile corridor of Izembek National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness lands to enable a road connecting King Cove and Cold Bay.
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Ashley National Forest
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Defenders Strongly Opposes USDA Proposal to Dismantle Long-Standing Protections for National Forests

The United States Department of Agriculture today announced that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to fully rescind the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule — a bedrock conservation policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forests for over two decades.

Press Releases

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Landscape of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Court ruling lets AIDEA keep Arctic Refuge leases despite legal problems with the leasing program

Today the U.S. District Court in Alaska ruled that the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, or AIDEA, can hold onto its oil and gas
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2022.08.20 - Mountain Lion - Carson National Forest - New Mexico - DOW.jpg

Defenders Celebrates Historic Wildlife Management Reform in New Mexico

Defenders of Wildlife applauds New Mexico for its historic effort to expand the tools and authority needed to manage all state wildlife, and for renaming
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Snow Gray Wolf Portrait
Washington, D.C.

Defenders Raises Alarm on So-Called 'Pet and Livestock Protection Act'

Defenders of Wildlife is sounding the alarm over the intentionally misleadingly-named Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025, which aims to prematurely delist gray wolves
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NARW
Washington, DC

Intervention Sought to Protect Endangered Right Whales from Deadly Vessel Strikes

Conservation groups have filed a motion to intervene as defendants on behalf of NOAA Fisheries in a case challenging the agency’s 2008 vessel speed rule
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gray wolf
Portland, OR

Defenders Responds to Illegal Poaching of Gray Wolf in Oregon

Defenders of Wildlife is deeply concerned by the news regarding the illegal killing of a breeding gray wolf male near Sisters, Oregon. Gray wolves are
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