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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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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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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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Conservation Groups Prepare for Lawsuit over Nantahala-Pisgah Forest Plan
A coalition of conservation groups sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service signaling their intent to sue unless officials fix the glaring flaws in
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New Footage of Ocelot Reminder of Need for Habitat Protection in Arizona
A wildlife trail camera recently captured footage of an ocelot roaming the Huachuca mountains of southeastern Arizona. The July 2023 video by wildlife hobbyist Jason Miller is exciting for conservations that hope to expand protections in the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.
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A Landmark Victory Enhances Protection of Sea Turtles’ Habitat
Beaches along the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida support the largest aggregation of nesting loggerhead sea turtles in the world. Within this range
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New Forest Service Rulemaking Must Address the Threats of Climate Change
Defenders of Wildlife today submitted its comments to the U.S. Forest Service as part of a public comment period to inform new policies that improve
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Defenders Opposes Amendments That Undercut Endangered Species Act in Interior Appropriations
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations today took up the Interior and Environment funding bill for the FY24. As proposed, the bill drastically decreases the necessary funding for important wildlife conservation programs across the country.
jcovey@defenders.org
