Defenders of Wildlife - Defenders Press Releases

Right idea, wrong place: Groups sue solar project to protect imperiled wildlife and wild lands

Tue, 27 Mar 2012

The proposed California-based Calico solar project fails to meet basic environmental protection requirements and threatens imperiled wildlife, according to Defenders of Wildlife, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club. The groups are filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior after failing to reach agreement with the developers and the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to move the project to a location without major environmental conflicts.

Obama administration charts new course for nation's forests

Fri, 23 Mar 2012

The U.S. Forest Service released today its final forest-planning rule, which will guide the management of 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across the country.

Protection sought once again for cactus ferruginous pygmy owl and its Sonoran Desert home

Thu, 22 Mar 2012

The Center for Biological Diversity and Defenders of Wildlife today sent the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service a formal notice of intent to sue over the agency’s denial of Endangered Species Act protection to the rare and vanishing cactus ferruginous pygmy owl.

Wild bison from Yellowstone stampede into Fort Peck

Wed, 21 Mar 2012

POPLAR, Mont. (March 21, 2012) – Tribal officials, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, and wildlife conservation leaders will be gathering at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation Wednesday morning to welcome home genetically pure, wild bison. On Monday, the bison completed a 500-mile journey from a facility just outside Yellowstone National Park where some of them were held for up to five years to ensure they are disease-free. The historic homecoming caps decades of work by the tribes of Fort Peck and Fort Belknap Reservations, and is an important step in restoring wild bison to the Great Plains.

Defenders expands grizzly bear fencing incentive program

Mon, 19 Mar 2012

MISSOULA, Mont. (March 19, 2012) – Defenders of Wildlife launched an expanded grizzly bear fencing incentive program this month to help people and wildlife better coexist. Landowners in eligible counties in Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming will be reimbursed for 50% of the cost for electric fencing to secure grizzly bear attractants. Electric fencing has proven effective at keeping grizzly bears away from chicken coops, beehives, fruit trees, garbage containers, animal feed, carcass pits, and compost piles. The maximum reimbursement is $500, and the offer is only valid while funding remains.

Expansion of protections first step toward manatee recovery

Thu, 15 Mar 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced the establishment of a manatee refuge in the waters of Florida’s Kings Bay that will expand protections for manatees at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge.

Conservation groups defend Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Tue, 13 Mar 2012

The U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C. granted conservation groups’ request to help defend a new National Park Service rule against a lawsuit by an ORV enthusiast group. The lawsuit seeks to overturn the long-overdue rule, required by a presidential order, that balances the safety and protection of beach-nesting wildlife and pedestrians with off-road vehicle traffic within Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Senate votes to protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from Big Oil drills

Tue, 13 Mar 2012

In its first vote on the issue since 2008, the U.S. Senate today decisively voted down an amendment to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas exploration.

Wyoming approves flawed wolf plan

Wed, 7 Mar 2012

BOZEMAN, Mont. (March 7, 2012) –Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead signed a bill today approving the state’s wolf management plan, which would allow wolves to be killed by anyone at any time by any means across the majority of the state.

Congressman Norm Dicks Announces Retirement

Fri, 2 Mar 2012

Statement by Jamie Rappaport Clark, President, Defenders of Wildlife Washington, D.C. — “The retirement of Congressman Norm Dicks is a major loss for our nation’s environment and natural resources.

Federal employees shoot wolves to boost elk herds in Idaho

Thu, 23 Feb 2012

BOISE, Idaho (Feb. 23, 2012) – Idaho Department of Fish and Game announced yesterday that it helped fund USDA Wildlife Services’ removal of 14 wolves in the Lolo zone of the Clearwater National Forest in northern Idaho.

House of Representatives passes extreme %26#8220;drill everywhere%26#8221; bill in transportation funding scam

Thu, 16 Feb 2012

The House of Representatives today voted to open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and along almost every acre of our coastline including off the East Coast, West Coast, the protected eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Bristol Bay to oil drilling all under the guise of funding this year’s transportation bill.

Statement from conservation groups on CHAPA lawsuit against rules for responsible beach driving in Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Fri, 10 Feb 2012

The following is a statement from Audubon North Carolina, Defenders of Wildlife and the Southern Environmental Law Center: “We’re disappointed that some beach driving enthusiasts quickly filed suit against beach driving rules that would protect pedestrians and nesting and...

Court overturns Bush regulations that ignored wildlife impacts

Tue, 7 Feb 2012

WASHINGTON (Feb. 7, 2012) – The U.S. District Court of D.C. struck down Bush administration regulations yesterday that would have allowed National Fire Plan projects to move forward without consulting the government’s own wildlife experts. Defenders initially challenged the regulations in 2006, arguing that the regulations violated long-standing Endangered Species Act procedures that help protect the environment and imperiled wildlife.

Mexican gray wolves gained ground in 2011

Fri, 3 Feb 2012

The number of endangered Mexican gray wolves surviving in the southwestern United States increased in 2011 to 58 wolves and six breeding pairs, up from 50 wolves and two breeding pairs the year before, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today.

House Republican leaders try again to open Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling for Big Oil

Wed, 1 Feb 2012

• Republican leaders of the House Natural Resources Committee today did the bidding of Big Oil once again and voted to open up the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the protected eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Bristol Bay to oil drilling all under the pretext of funding this year’s transportation bill.

National Solar Energy Plan Moves Closer to Final Stages

Mon, 30 Jan 2012

On the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union remarks to expand clean energy development, the Interior Department is moving to finalize the nation’s first solar energy program for public lands with the closing of the public comment period today. Over the past 90 days, the Bureau of Land Management has been seeking input on the Supplemental Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (SPEIS) for solar development on public lands in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah.

Obama administration proposes new forest-planning rule

Thu, 26 Jan 2012

The Obama administration today proposed a new forest-planning rule that will guide the management of 155 nationals forests and grasslands across the United States.

National Park Service finally issues rules for responsible beach driving in Cape Hatteras

Fri, 20 Jan 2012

The National Park Service (NPS) today announced new rules to manage off-road vehicle traffic on beaches so nesting and baby sea turtles and birds as well as pedestrians are protected in Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

New wildlife refuge established in Florida

Wed, 18 Jan 2012

Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar today announced the creation of the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area in an effort to preserve the community’s ranching heritage and conserve the headwaters and fish and wildlife of the Everglades