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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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Defenders Endorses Bills to Secure a Future Against Offshore Drilling
Defenders of Wildlife today endorsed a suite of bills introduced in Congress to safeguard U.S. coastal waters against the threat of offshore oil and gas
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Defenders Statement on Trump Rollback Opening Marine Monument to Fishing Industry
On Thursday, April 17, the Trump Administration issued a proclamation calling for the opening of commercial fishing in waters of the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine
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Defenders Responds to Redefinition of Harm Under ESA
Andrew Bowman, Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO, today released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s notice that it intends to rescind the regulatory definition of “Harm” under the Endangered Species Act:
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Defenders Intervenes to Protect Biden ESA Regulations
Defenders today filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed in federal court in the District of Columbia that challenges the Biden administration’s 2024 Endangered Species Act regulations.
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Trump Administration Rolls Back Protections for Migratory Birds
The Trump administration late last week reinstated a dangerous opinion under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act from the president’s first term that allows extractive energy
jcovey@defenders.org
