Trump Re-ups Dangerous, Drift-prone Pesticide

Trump's Environmental Protection Agency is refusing to ban the pesticide dicamba, which tends to dangerously drift from where it's sprayed. Dicamba has damaged 5 million acres of crops, trees and gardens over the past two years. Still the EPA will reapprove it, with just minor new restrictions.

The agency's own analysis shows that many threatened and endangered species may be harmed by the massive increase in dicamba's recent use. The EPA is ignoring these harms instead of consulting with wildlife experts.

"How many more millions of acres need to be poisoned for the EPA to stand up and finally do its job?" said the Center for Biological Diversity's Nate Donley. "It's going to take far stronger action to curb dicamba's well-documented dangers to plants and wildlife like monarch butterflies."

Get more from EcoWatch.

Tuesday's Election: Some Important Gains

We're heartened by Tuesday's election. There were some important wins and some tough losses, but overall it showed we can make change when we lift each other up and take action.

We're happy to see improvements in the U.S. House of Representatives, a long-overdue wave of women taking office, and more.

Of course Donald Trump remains in the White House, with control over crucial arms of government like the EPA and the Interior Department. Congress, rife with those indebted to corporate polluters, will still take every opportunity to make this a dirtier, uglier planet.

We appreciate your support as we gear up for the fights ahead.

Florida Bans Oil, Gas Drilling in State Waters

An important bright spot in Tuesday's election: Voters in Florida approved a measure that prohibits oil and gas exploration three miles into the Atlantic Ocean and nine miles into the Gulf of Mexico.

The Center and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy played a crucial role in the Amendment 9 campaign, which will protect birds, sea turtles and coastal areas from oil spills.

"Floridians just protected our coastline from dirty and dangerous offshore drilling. This is great news for coastal communities and the clean, tourist-friendly beaches we depend on," said Sarah Gledhill, Florida field campaigner at the Center. "By passing Amendment 9, Floridians are sending a loud message to President Trump that we oppose his reckless plan to expand offshore drilling."

Read more in the Florida Phoenix.

Canada Urged to Save More Whales From Fishing-gear Death

An unprecedented 12 right whales died in Canadian waters in 2017, prompting the country to close key fishing areas. Now the Center and allies have penned a letter calling on Canada to expand closures to save more whales from death by entanglement.

"The right whale population is plummeting as these incredible animals get tangled up in Canadian and U.S. fishing gear," said the Center's Sarah Uhlemann, who wrote the letter. "Both countries should do their part to save these endangered whales by closing key habitat areas and moving to ropeless fishing gear."

Fewer than 440 North Atlantic right whales likely remain on Earth. Scientists didn't document a single birth in the 2017–2018 calving season.

Read more in Providence Journal.

Only 200 of these rare desert orchids are estimated to exist in the world. The Coleman's coralroot is beautiful, mysterious and imperiled. This may be the only existing video footage of the orchid. Watch and share on Facebook or YouTube.

Fighting California Offshore Oil and Gas

Our Oceans Program Director Miyoko Sakashita recently took a three-day boat tour of California's offshore oil and gas platforms. She saw legally questionable flaring of methane gas, corroded and decrepit platforms operating dangerously past their prime, and the ever-present specter of a major spill in wildlife-rich waters.

These threats are why we were in court on Monday for a hearing in our lawsuit against the feds for authorizing fracking in federal waters off California.

With your support we're working toward shutting down all oil and gas platforms and pipelines off the California coast for good. We'll keep you posted on our lawsuit and our campaign against the Trump administration's proposal to expand offshore drilling in the Pacific and other U.S. waters.

Biodiversity Briefing: Conservation + Politics

Preserving public lands in this political landscape. Fighting climate change in this political climate. Saving wildlife in these wild times.

How do we do it?

In our latest quarterly "Biodiversity Briefing" phone call, Executive Director Kierán Suckling confronts the issue head on. Among other things, Kierán says, "We need to engage in shifting the political spectrum back toward the middle and getting people in office who support the environment and human health."

These personal phone briefings, including Q&A sessions, are open to all members of the Center's Leadership Circle and Owls Club. For information on how to join and be invited to participate live on the calls, email Senior Development Associate Celia Bavier or call her at (520) 623-5252 x 312. Listen to the briefing.

Wild & Weird: Florida Panthers Released Back Into Wild

In December 2017 a vehicle struck a female Florida panther, breaking her hind leg. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rushed to the scene, rescuing the panther and finding her two kittens.

Her surgery at Animal Specialty Hospital of Florida in Naples succeeded. Then she and her kittens were transferred to the White Oak Conservation Foundation so the mother could recover. Human contact was kept to a minimum.

Finally, this April, the whole panther family was released back into the wild. Watch this exciting moment on Facebook or YouTube.