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Biden Administration Working Group Recommendations Offer First Step to Protect Communities, Environment From Destructive Mining
WASHINGTON— The Biden administration’s Interagency Working Group released recommendations today to update hardrock mining laws and regulations. Tribes and conservation groups welcomed this first step but urged President Biden to use his authority to make additional improvements to protect communities, sacred places and water resources. The administration formed the working group in February 2022 as part of its efforts around “Securing a Made in America Supply Chain for Critical Minerals.”
Read more.Lawmakers, Youth, Frontline Advocates Rally Thursday in D.C. to Urge Biden Action on Fossil Fuels
WASHINGTON— Members of Congress, youth and climate justice advocates will rally on Capitol Hill Thursday morning to urge President Biden to use his executive powers to stop approving fossil fuel projects, phase out fossil fuels on federal lands and waters, and declare a climate emergency. The rally comes ahead of the March to End Fossil Fuels, Sept. 17 in New York City and the United Nations’ Climate Ambition Summit Sept. 20. It will include colorful banners and signs.
Read more.More Than 140,000 Americans Call on Biden Administration to Restore Endangered Species Act
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity joined more than 140,000 people today urging the Biden administration to restore the full power of the Endangered Species Act. The public comments submitted today are in response to the Biden administration’s proposal to retain most of the Trump-era regulations that severely weakened protections for our nation’s most imperiled animals and plants.
Read more.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Invests $5.1 Million to Save Endangered Butterflies, Fish, Plants, Mollusks
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that it is providing $5.1 million to fund crucial conservation work for some of the most critically imperiled plants and animals in the nation.
Read more.Interior Department Urged to Deploy Solar Power on Federal Canals
WASHINGTON— More than 125 groups are urging the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Interior Department to develop a new initiative to deploy solar power above the nearly 8,000 miles of canals owned and operated by the federal government.
Read more.House Republicans Advance Funding Bill Attacking Environment, Endangered Species
WASHINGTON— The House Appropriations Committee passed a funding bill today with massive cuts to the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The legislation, passed along party lines, also contains dozens of poison pill riders attacking public health, the environment and endangered species.
Read more.House ‘Extinction Rider’ Seeks to Gut Imperiled Birds’ Protections
WASHINGTON― U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) has introduced a must-pass Interior Department appropriations bill with riders that would gut Endangered Species Act protections for the lesser prairie chicken and imperiled populations of sage grouse. The birds all teeter on the brink of extinction.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges EPA’s 2023-2025 Renewable Fuels Standard
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel volume requirements for corn ethanol and other biofuels for 2023-2025. Last month the EPA set the 2022 required minimum volume for transportation sector use at roughly 15 billion gallons of corn ethanol and 5.63 billion gallons of advanced biofuels.
Read more.Biden Administration Rejects Calls to Phase Out Oil, Gas on Public Lands by 2035
WASHINGTON— Responding to a lawsuit by conservation groups, the Biden administration has officially rejected a rulemaking petition from more than 360 U.S. climate, Indigenous and conservation groups to phase out oil and gas extraction on public lands by 2035.
Read more.Biden Administration Retains Key Trump-era Extinction Policies
WASHINGTON— The Biden administration today proposed revisions to Trump-era regulations that severely weakened protections for our nation’s most imperiled animals and plants, keeping in place some of the most significant rollbacks to the Endangered Species Act in the law’s 50-year history.
Read more.EPA Renewable Fuels Standard Shortchanges Imperiled Species Review
WASHINGTON— The Environmental Protection Agency shirked its legal obligation to protect imperiled plants and animals in a final rule released today setting fuel volume requirements for corn ethanol and other biofuels through 2025.
Read more.Bills Introduced to Ban Deadly ‘Cyanide Bombs’ on Public Lands
WASHINGTON— Bills introduced Tuesday by Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) would ban the use of wildlife-killing M-44 devices, commonly known as ‘‘cyanide bombs,’’ on public lands. These deadly devices are spring-loaded capsules armed with cyanide spray that have injured people and inhumanely killed thousands of animals every year.
Read more.Legal Petition Demands Biden Administration Halt Imports of Saudi Arabian Fossil Fuels
WASHINGTON— Conservation groups petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce today to evaluate, review and ban all fossil fuel imports from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — including all oil products — under the U.S. Trade Act because of the national security threat these imports pose to the United States.
Read more.Press Conference Monday to Explain Harms From Environmental Law Rollbacks
WASHINGTON— Legal experts and representatives from Indigenous and environmental groups will hold a virtual press conference Monday to discuss the environmental law rollbacks in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.
Read more.Debt Ceiling Deal Stains Biden’s Legacy on Climate, Environmental Justice
WASHINGTON— Congress today passed a debt ceiling deal negotiated between President Biden and House Republicans that expedites the super-polluting Mountain Valley Pipeline, dramatically rolls back the National Environmental Policy Act, and weakens social safety nets for working families in exchange for a modest raising of the debt ceiling.
Read more.Congress Urged to Pass Clean Debt Ceiling Bill
WASHINGTON— Environmental justice and environmental groups urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and members of Congress today to vote on a clean debt ceiling bill without the poison pills that harm disadvantaged communities and the climate.
Read more.Biden Sacrifices Climate, Working Families in Debt Ceiling Deal
WASHINGTON— President Biden unveiled details of a deal today with House Republicans that expedites the climate-killing Mountain Valley Pipeline, dramatically rolls back the National Environmental Policy Act, and freezes nondefense spending for agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and Interior Department in exchange for a modest raise of the debt ceiling.
Read more.Blumenthal, Grijalva Introduce Bill to Save Endangered Butterflies, Fish, Plants, Mollusks
WASHINGTON— Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) have introduced the Extinction Prevention Act of 2023, which would provide $20 million per year to fund crucial conservation work to recover the most endangered groups of species in the United States.
Read more.Connecticut Celebration to Mark 50 Years of Endangered Species Act Success
BRIDGEPORT, Conn.— The Center for Biological Diversity will join Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo on Friday, May 19, to celebrate Endangered Species Day and the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.
Read more.Biden, Congressional Democrats Urged to Accelerate Renewable Energy, Deprioritize Fossil Fuels
WASHINGTON— More than 290 groups urged President Biden and Congressional Democratic leaders today to take action and accelerate renewable energy, address electric transmission challenges, and advance environmental justice.
Read more.Senate Takes Unprecedented Vote to End Lesser Prairie Chicken Protections
WASHINGTON— Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) joined Senate Republicans today in using the Congressional Review Act to strip away Endangered Species Act protections for the critically imperiled lesser prairie chicken. This is the first time in the CRA’s 30-year history that Congress has attempted to use this law to rescind federal protections for an individual species.
Read more.Congressional Resolution Urges Biden to Declare Climate Emergency, Phase Out Fossil Fuels
WASHINGTON— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) reintroduced a resolution today calling on President Biden to declare a climate emergency and use existing non-emergency powers to lead a multiagency, massive-scale response to the climate crisis.
Read more.Congress Urged to Zero Out Funding for Federal Oil, Gas Programs
WASHINGTON— A coalition of 215 groups today urged House and Senate leaders to end funding for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s fossil fuel extraction programs on public lands and waters.
Read more.Congress Urged to Spend $841 Million to Fully Fund Endangered Species Protection
WASHINGTON— More than 120 conservation groups urged Congress today to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $331 million to $841 million.
Read more.House Republican Bill Would Upend Bedrock Environmental Review Law
WASHINGTON— The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on legislation introduced by Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.) that would curtail environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges White House Offices for Records on Endangered Species Delays
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the White House’s Office of Management and Budget and its Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs today for refusing to release records on their roles in delaying protections for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The offices had illegally delayed protection of critical habitat for shorebirds called red knots by more than seven months.
Read more.Legal Action Launched Over White House Delay on Red Knot Habitat Protections
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity today sent a notice of intent to sue the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for illegally delaying protection of the red knot shorebird’s critical habitat by more than seven months. Habitat loss has helped drive a drastic decline in the migrating shorebird’s population.
Read more.Legal Petition Seeks Environmental Review Improvements Promised by Biden
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the Council on Environmental Quality today to strengthen the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act to better tackle the climate crisis, meaningfully address environmental justice and push agencies to make better, more environmentally protective decisions.
Read more.House Bill Would Sacrifice Public Lands to Draw From Strategic Petroleum Reserve
WASHINGTON— House Republicans will today likely pass H.R. 21, the Strategic Production Response Act, which would sacrifice millions of acres of public lands. The legislation by Rep. McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) would prevent the White House from using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve unless the percentage of public lands and offshore waters leased for oil and gas increases by the same percentage as any future drawdown from the reserve.
Read more.Sen. Schumer Wins 2022 Rubber Dodo Award
WASHINGTON— Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer won the Center for Biological Diversity’s Rubber Dodo award today for inserting a last-minute rider into the 2023 omnibus budget bill that potentially condemns the North Atlantic right whale to extinction.
Read more.Senate Democrats Pass Extinction Omnibus, Endangering Right Whale
WASHINGTON— The Democratic-controlled Senate passed its massive omnibus funding package today that includes an unprecedented right whale extinction rider. The measure will allow the U.S. lobster fishery to delay for six years essential conservation actions to prevent fishing gear from entangling and killing critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. The rider was inserted by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Read more.Right Whale Condemned to Extinction in Senate Omnibus
WASHINGTON— With no process or accountability, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Appropriations Chair Patrick Leahy inserted an unprecedented right whale policy rider into the omnibus funding budget released today. Schumer’s measure gives the U.S. lobster fishery six years to delay necessary actions to prevent fishing gear from entangling and killing critically endangered North Atlantic right whales.
Read more.Tuesday Morning Rally to Urge Congress to Oppose Manchin’s Dirty Deal
WASHINGTON— Members of Congress and climate justice advocates will rally Tuesday morning outside the Cannon House Office Building to oppose Sen. Joe Manchin’s massive giveaway to the fossil fuel industry.
Read more.750 Groups Blast Manchin Ploy to Include Dirty Deal in Defense Bill
WASHINGTON— As West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin continues to promote his fossil fuel permitting scheme, more than 750 climate, environmental justice, public health, youth and progressive organizations sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congressional leadership today opposing what they call a “cruel and direct attack on environmental justice communities.”
Read more.EPA Renewable Fuels ‘Set Rule’ to Destroy Habitat, Kill Endangered Species, Degrade Water Quality
WASHINGTON— The Environmental Protection Agency released its long-delayed proposal today establishing fuel volume requirements for corn ethanol and other biofuels for 2023, 2024 and 2025. The so-called “set rule” was the EPA’s first opportunity to set such volume requirements at any level, including below the congressionally mandated floors in place over the previous decade.
Read more.As U.S. Pesticide Law Turns 50, Assessment Highlights Fast-Track Approvals of Poisons Banned Across Much of World
WASHINGTON— Fifty years after Congress passed the current Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act to protect people and the environment, the law has instead fast-tracked approval of dangerous pesticides banned across much of the world.
Read more.Manchin Pushes Most Significant Environmental Rollback in Decades
WASHINGTON— After weeks of keeping the public and virtually all members of Congress in the dark, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin today released the details of their secret deal that Manchin demanded as payment for voting to pass the Inflation Reduction Act.
Read more.More Than 80 Conservation Groups Urge Congress to Reject Mountain Valley Pipeline in Manchin Side Deal
WASHINGTON— More than 80 conservation groups sent a letter today urging congressional leadership to reject Sen. Joe Manchin’s proposal to fast-track the approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline as part of any “permitting reform” deal struck between Manchin and Democratic leaders.
Read more.Over 650 Groups Call on Congressional Leaders to Reject Manchin’s Dirty Pipeline Deal
WASHINGTON— More than 650 climate, environmental justice, public health, youth, and progressive organizations sent a letter to congressional leadership today to oppose the fossil fuel expansion deal proposed by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin to Democratic leadership in exchange for his support of the Inflation Reduction Act.
Read more.Climate Bill Heads to Biden for Signature, Forecasts Fall Fossil Fuel Fight
WASHINGTON— The House of Representatives passed the Democrats’ climate and healthcare spending bill today, sending the biggest-ever U.S. government climate investment package to the president for his signature.
Read more.Hundreds of Climate, Community Groups Tell Biden, Congress: No Fossil Fuel Expansion in Reconciliation Bill
WASHINGTON— More than 350 conservation and community groups, representing millions of people, called on President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today to reject fossil fuel expansion during negotiations over a reconciliation package.
Read more.Manchin Poison Pills Buried in Inflation Reduction Act Will Destroy Livable Climate
WASHINGTON— A proposed climate and energy package would require massive oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, reinstate an illegal 2021 Gulf lease sale and mandate that millions more acres of public lands be offered for leasing before any new solar or wind energy projects could be built on public lands or waters.
Read more.Biden Stops Short of Declaring National Climate Emergency
WASHINGTON— President Biden announced a series of executive actions targeting the climate crisis today, and while he described the crisis as “an emergency,” he stopped short of the national climate emergency declaration called for by the Center for Biological Diversity and more than 1,200 other groups.
Read more.Sens. Manchin, Daines Attack Climate Protections for Endangered Species
WASHINGTON— The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will consider and mark up a number of bills on Thursday, including S. 2561, which would alter the requirements for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management regarding when they must update their land-management plans to protect endangered species.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges EPA’s Damaging Renewable Fuels Standard
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s fuel volume requirements for corn ethanol and other biofuels for 2020, 2021 and 2022. Earlier this month the EPA set the 2022 required minimum volume for transportation sector use at roughly 15 billion gallons of corn ethanol and 5.63 billion gallons of advanced biofuels.
Read more.Biden’s Top Five Climate Executive Actions
WASHINGTON— With climate provisions stripped from Democrats’ economic package by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), President Biden’s executive powers are front and center in protecting U.S. international commitments and preserving a livable planet.
Read more.House Democrats Provide Long-Overdue Funding for Endangered Species Act
WASHINGTON— The House Appropriations Committee will vote on a funding bill today for the U.S. Department of the Interior that would provide $355 million for endangered species conservation — an increase of $77 million above last year’s budget.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges Biden-Approved Oil Drilling Permits for Failing to Protect Climate-Imperiled Wildlife, Public Lands
WASHINGTON— Environmental organizations sued the Bureau of Land Management today for issuing more than 3,500 oil and gas drilling permits in New Mexico and Wyoming during the first 16 months of the Biden administration in violation of the Endangered Species Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. The lawsuit was filed in the federal District Court of Washington, D.C.
Read more.House Passes Historic Legislation Securing Billions for Imperiled Wildlife
WASHINGTON— The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, H.R. 2773, by a 231 to 190 vote today. If approved by the Senate, the legislation will provide unprecedented levels of funding to states, Tribal Nations and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conserve and recover imperiled wildlife and plant species, including those listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Read more.EPA Finalizes Damaging Renewable Fuels Standard
WASHINGTON— The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to finalize its renewable fuel standards for corn ethanol and other biofuels for 2020, 2021 and 2022 today, setting the 2022 required minimum volume for transportation sector use at roughly 15 billion gallons of corn ethanol and 5.63 billion gallons of advanced biofuels.
Read more.Lawsuit Seeks Documents on Biden Administration Plans to Weaken Endangered Species Act
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s failure to release documents detailing discussions between political officials, other agency staff, and members of Congress over potential legislation that would further weaken the Endangered Species Act.
Read more.For Earth Day, ‘Frostpaw the Polar Bear’ to Urge Rep. DeLauro, Sen. Leahy to Fully Fund Endangered Species Act
NEWTOWN, Conn.— The Center for Biological Diversity and Frostpaw, the Center’s polar bear mascot, will be tending a booth at Newtown Earth Day on Saturday, April 23 to hand out endangered species postcards that urge Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to increase funding for endangered species and help stem the global extinction crisis.
Read more.Documents: Biden Administration Misled Public Over Secret Plan to Weaken Whooping Crane Protections
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been planning to weaken whooping crane protections since early 2021, according to federal documents obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity.
Read more.140 Groups Call for Major Reforms at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Restore Scientific Integrity
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity and 139 other organizations sent a letter today urging U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams to take immediate action to reform the agency’s process for listing imperiled species as threatened or endangered.
Read more.Congress Introduces Legislation to Ban Wildlife Killing Contests on Public Lands
WASHINGTON— More than a dozen members of Congress introduced legislation today that would prohibit organizing, sponsoring, conducting or participating in wildlife killing contests on more than 500 million acres of U.S. public lands.
Read more.Biden Budget Shortchanges Key Programs to Protect, Recover Endangered Species
WASHINGTON— Despite an overall increase of $86.4 million for endangered species conservation, President Biden’s fiscal year 2023 budget request, released today, still falls short of what’s needed to stem the loss of our nation’s biodiversity and halt the global extinction crisis.
Read more.Congress Urged to Increase Spending to $700 Million for Endangered Species Conservation
WASHINGTON— Citing the global extinction crisis, more than 150 groups urged Congress today to significantly increase the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s budget for endangered species conservation from $300 million to $704 million — an increase of more than $400 million over the fiscal year 2022 budget.
Read more.Omnibus Budget Ignores Climate Emergency, Extinction Crisis
WASHINGTON— The Democratic-controlled Congress today released the final appropriations bill to fund fiscal year 2022, which began five months earlier.
Read more.Petition Urges Biden Administration to Strengthen Endangered Species Act to Save Life on Earth
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity filed a comprehensive legal petition today urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to take bold, unprecedented action to stem the global wildlife extinction crisis by strengthening the Endangered Species Act’s implementing regulations.
Read more.Legal Petition Demands Biden Administration Halt Imports of Russian Fossil Fuels
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce today to review and ban all fossil fuel imports from Russia — including oil, coal, petroleum gas products and petcoke — under the U.S. Trade Act because of the national security threat those imports pose to the United States.
Read more.State of the Union: Amid Global Crisis, Biden Must Move to End Fossil Fuel Era
WASHINGTON— Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, released the following statement after President Biden’s State of the Union address.
Read more.America COMPETES Act Includes Big Wins for Wildlife, Pandemic Prevention
WASHINGTON— The America COMPETES Act passed today by the U.S. House of Representatives contains several provisions that would help prevent future pandemics.
Read more.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Plans to Gut Protections for Whooping Crane, Florida Panther, Key Deer
WASHINGTON— Buried in the Biden administration’s unified regulatory agenda released last week is a plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to weaken or end protections for several iconic species, including the whooping crane, key deer and Florida panther.
Read more.Biden Administration Urged to Triple Listing Budget for Endangered Species
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity, along with 38 other conservation organizations, urged the Biden administration today to increase its request for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Endangered Species Act listing budget for fiscal year 2023 to at least $63.7 million — more than three times the wildlife agency’s current budget.
Read more.Biden Urged to Nominate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity and more than 55 other organizations urged President Biden today to nominate a permanent director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Read more.‘Stop Extinction’ Event Will Urge Rep. DeLauro to Fully Fund Endangered Species Act
NEW HAVEN— The Center for Biological Diversity, Connecticut activists and Frostpaw, the Center’s polar bear mascot, will gather outside Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s office on Wednesday, Sept. 8, to urge her to increase funding for endangered species and help stem the global extinction crisis.
Read more.House Democrats to Provide $100 Million for Critically Endangered Species in Reconciliation Bill
WASHINGTON— In a memo released today by the House Natural Resources Committee, House Democrats will provide $550 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the upcoming budget reconciliation package, including $100 million for some of the most critically imperiled species in the United States.
Read more.Biden Budget Fails to Address Extinction Crisis
WASHINGTON— With today’s release of President Biden’s first full budget, the administration signaled that stemming the wildlife extinction crisis and safeguarding the nation’s endangered species will not be a top priority, despite the warnings of scientists that one million species are at risk of going extinct around the world without intervention.
Read more.Senate Urged to Reject Fossil Fuel Attorney Beaudreau for Deputy Interior Secretary
WASHINGTON— More than 30 conservation groups today urged members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to oppose attorney Tommy Beaudreau’s nomination for deputy Interior secretary, saying his representation of fossil fuel companies would undermine President Biden’s climate agenda. The committee is scheduled to consider Beaudreau’s nomination Thursday.
Read more.Center for Biological Diversity Statement on Guilty Verdict for Murder of George Floyd
Statement from Kierán Suckling, executive director, Center for Biological Diversity:
Read more.Inspiring New Leadership at Interior Department: Senate Confirms Deb Haaland
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Senate confirmed Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) today as the next Interior Department secretary. She becomes the first Native American to hold a cabinet position and the second highest-ranking enrolled Native American in history to serve in the federal government.
Read more.House Bill Introduced to Save Sacred Oak Flat, in Arizona, From Massive Copper Mine
TUCSON, Ariz.— U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) introduced the Save Oak Flat Act today to protect the Indigenous sacred site in central Arizona from being destroyed by a massive copper mine.
Read more.Court: Interior Department Failed to Provide Records on Trump Administration Collusion With Coal Industry
WASHINGTON— The chief judge of the federal district court in D.C. ruled yesterday that Trump officials unlawfully failed to provide public records to the Center for Biological Diversity about their decision to reverse the Obama administration’s “pause” on coal extraction on federal public lands.
Read more.House Democrats’ Climate Bill Fails to Meet Urgent Crisis
WASHINGTON— House Energy and Commerce Democrats introduced revamped legislation today that aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but it fails to set adequate measures to meet those goals.
Read more.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Urged to Rescind Agreement With NRA
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to rescind a Trump-era agreement that established a 10-year partnership with the National Rifle Association.
Read more.Biden Administration Halts Oil and Gas Leasing of Federal Lands, Oceans
WASHINGTON— President Joe Biden will issue an executive order today suspending new oil and gas leasing of federal lands and waters. The order is a first step toward fulfilling a Biden campaign pledge and a request made last month by the Center for Biological Diversity and almost 600 other organizations for an end to leasing and permitting for oil and gas extraction on public lands and oceans.
Read more.Biden Administration Announces Major Steps to Protect Climate, Wildlife
WASHINGTON— As President Joe Biden takes office today, his administration announced a series of steps aimed at combating the climate crisis and protecting wildlife from extinction. These include reentering the Paris Agreement, cancelling the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, and imposing a moratorium on oil leasing activities in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Read more.Report: 50 Critical Environmental Reforms President Biden Can Enact Without Congress
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity released transition recommendations today detailing key actions the incoming Biden administration can take to address the extinction crisis and climate change without waiting on a divided Congress.
Read more.Nevada Releases Flawed Climate Strategy
LAS VEGAS— Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Climate Initiative released the state’s climate strategy late Tuesday. This is an important milestone in the state’s march toward decarbonization, as mandated by 2019’s Senate Bill 254.
Read more.Public Records Sought Over Delays in National Climate Report
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity filed a Freedom of Information Act request today seeking records relating to delays in preparing the Fifth National Climate Assessment. The request for records from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration comes amid government delays in recruiting the dozens of scientists needed to produce the report. The next version is due in 2022, but the agency’s website indicates it is already behind schedule.
Read more.Sens. Cornyn, Booker Introduce Landmark Bill to End U.S. Live Wildlife Markets, Curb Trade
WASHINGTON— As COVID-19 continues to kill thousands of Americans a week, Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced legislation today that would prohibit the import and export of live wildlife for human consumption or medicine.
Read more.Documents: Trump Administration Waiving Rules for Oil Drilling, Mining
WASHINGTON— Documents obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity show that a presidential executive order has prompted the Department of the Interior to consider exemptions to key provisions of the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act for more than 50 major projects.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges Trump Administration’s Attack on Landmark Environmental Law
WASHINGTON— A nationwide coalition of organizations from the environmental-justice, outdoor and conservation communities filed a lawsuit today challenging the Trump administration’s attack on the National Environmental Policy Act.
Read more.Trump Administration Dismantles Bedrock Environmental Law
WASHINGTON— The Trump administration finalized a sweeping rollback today of the National Environmental Policy Act’s rules for conducting environmental reviews of federal activities. The final rule drastically curtails environmental reviews for thousands of federal agency projects nationwide, a move that will weaken safeguards for air, water, wildlife and public lands.
Read more.Lawsuit Seeks Documents on President Trump’s Order ‘Expediting’ Fossil Fuel Project Approvals
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration today to get public records showing how federal agencies are implementing President Trump’s order to waive environmental laws to fast-track oil and gas drilling, fossil fuel pipelines and other projects across the country.
Read more.Unprecedented Lawsuit Launched Against President Trump for Order ‘Expediting’ Fossil Fuel Project Approvals
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity filed a notice today of its intent to sue President Donald Trump for his recent executive order directing all federal agencies to exploit the Endangered Species Act’s emergency provisions to rubber-stamp the approval of fossil fuel pipelines, oil and gas drilling and other routine infrastructure projects.
Read more.Documents Sought on Industry Giveaways in Trump Order ‘Expediting’ Fossil Fuel Project Approvals
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity requested public records today from dozens of agencies about how they’re implementing President Trump’s recent executive order waiving environmental laws to fast-track oil and gas drilling, fossil fuel pipelines like Keystone XL and other projects across the country.
Read more.Center for Biological Diversity Statement on Murder of George Floyd, Institutional Racism, Presidential Threat of Violence
Statement from Kierán Suckling, executive director, Center for Biological Diversity:
Read more.Lawsuit Seeks Records on Trump Administration’s Fossil Fuel Bailout
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Treasury Department today for failing to release applications from the oil, gas, coal and plastics industries for federal COVID-19 relief funding under the CARES Act.
Read more.Plan: Preventing Future Pandemics Requires Sweeping U.S. Action on Wildlife Trade
WASHINGTON— Conservation groups released a sweeping action plan today for the United States to dramatically crack down on wildlife trade, which is the most probable cause of the global coronavirus pandemic. Among other proposals, the action plan recommends that the United States end live wildlife imports, curtail all other wildlife trade until stricter regulations are adopted, and take a global leadership role in controlling wildlife trade to stop future pandemics.
Read more.Congress to WHO: End Live Wildlife Trade, ‘Wet Markets’
WASHINGTON— A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and representatives have sent a letter urging the World Health Organization to take “aggressive action toward a global shutdown of live wildlife markets and a ban on the international trade in live wildlife.”
Read more.Public Records Sought on Fossil Fuel Companies’ Bailout Requests
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of the Treasury today seeking applications by oil, gas, coal and plastics companies to receive federal assistance as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
Read more.Sens. Sanders, Merkley Introduce Bill to Ban Fracking Nationwide
WASHINGTON— Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation today to immediately ban fracking for oil and gas on all federal public lands onshore and offshore. The bill also would forbid any new federal permits for fossil fuel infrastructure such as pipelines, natural gas export terminals and ethane cracker plants.
Read more.Trump Administration Slashes Protections for Millions of Acres of Streams, Wetlands
WASHINGTON— The Trump administration finalized a plan today to slash Clean Water Act protections for streams, rivers and millions of acres of wetlands, allowing those water bodies to be destroyed or polluted without any meaningful restrictions.
Read more.Grijalva Bill Would Limit Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Public Lands
WASHINGTON— House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) introduced legislation today that attempts to set an overall cap on greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and seeks to achieve “net zero” emissions from public lands by 2040.
Read more.House Committee Green-lights Climate-killing Export-Import Bank
WASHINGTON—The House Financial Services Committee this morning approved a bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, a taxpayer-funded operation that has financed oil pipelines, mines, power plants and other environmentally destructive projects around the world.
Read more.Arizonans Celebrate House Passage of Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act
PHOENIX― The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act by an overwhelming margin. The bill is sponsored by House Natural Resources Chairman Raúl M. Grijalva (D.-Ariz.) and cosponsored and supported by Arizona U.S. Reps. Tom O’Halleran, Ruben Gallego, Ann Kirkpatrick and Greg Stanton.
Read more.More Than 270 Groups Urge Senate to Increase Endangered Species Funding
WASHINGTON— In the face of growing concerns over the global wildlife extinction crisis, more than 270 conservation groups today urged the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations to increase funding for endangered species conservation and recovery.
Read more.Senate Confirms Former Koch Crony as Interior Department’s Top Lawyer
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Senate today confirmed Daniel Jorjani as solicitor for the U.S. Department of the Interior, despite his deep-rooted conflicts of interest and strong ties to the oil and gas industry and the Koch brothers. The final Senate vote, largely along party lines, was 51-43.
Read more.House Republicans Revive Plan to Cripple Endangered Species Act Amid Extinction Crisis
WASHINGTON— House Republicans from the so-called “Western Caucus” today revived a package of bills from the previous Congress that would do more damage to the Endangered Species Act and condemn hundreds of animals and plants to extinction.
Read more.Senate Republicans OK More Funding for Trump’s Destructive Border Wall
WASHINGTON— Senate Republicans want to spend $5 billion next year for more border-wall construction. Their 2020 spending bill would fund more than 100 additional miles of border wall without any meaningful review of potential harm to wildlife, the environment or borderland communities.
Read more.House Hearing to Focus on Bill to Save Rare Butterflies, Fish, Plants, Mollusks
WASHINGTON— The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife will hold a legislative hearing Tuesday to review the Extinction Prevention Act of 2019, introduced by Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.). Lawmakers will also examine a separate bill that would overturn new Trump administration rules that cripple the Endangered Species Act.
Read more.House Democrats Advance Bill Protecting Lions, Elephants From Trophy Hunting
WASHINGTON— The House Natural Resources Committee advanced several bills today that would increase protection for imperiled wildlife, including legislation that would restrict imports of hunting trophies from dead African lions and elephants.
Read more.Congressional Democrats Introduce Bill to Overturn Trump’s Disastrous Endangered Species Act Rollback
WASHINGTON— Congressional Democrats today introduced legislation to repeal regulations finalized by the Trump administration in August that would cripple implementation of the Endangered Species Act.
Read more.Trump Finalizes Disastrous Weakening of Endangered Species Act
WASHINGTON— In a massive attack on imperiled wildlife, the Trump administration today finalized rollbacks to regulations implementing key provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The changes, which could lead to extinction for hundreds of animals and plants, are illegal and will be challenged in court.
Read more.Lawsuit Challenges Political Meddling in EPA Public Records Changes
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity and the Environmental Integrity Project sued the Trump administration today over sweeping changes to how the Environmental Protection Agency handles public-records requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The EPA’s new rule will take effect Friday.
Read more.Senate Advances Bill That Would Gut Environmental Review of Oil Pipelines, Other Large Infrastructure Projects
WASHINGTON― A Senate committee today approved a bill that would side-step environmental review to fast-track large infrastructure projects, including oil pipelines and natural gas export terminals.
Read more.EPA Politicizes Public Records Rules, Hands Decisions to Trump Appointees
WASHINGTON— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a sweeping revision today to the rules governing how it responds to requests for public records under the Freedom of Information Act.
Read more.75 Groups Call for Reforms to Climate-killing Export-Import Bank
WASHINGTON— More than 75 conservation groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, today called on Congress to curb the Export-Import Bank’s funding of dangerous fossil fuel projects. The request follows legislation introduced last week by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) to reauthorize the bank.
Read more.Trump Administration Guts Climate Change Reviews for Federal Actions
WASHINGTON— The Trump administration issued proposed guidance today restricting when and how federal agencies can consider climate change impacts when they complete environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act.
Read more.House Democrats Support Climate-killing Export-Import Bank
WASHINGTON— Legislation introduced today by Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) would reauthorize the Export-Import Bank for seven years while leaving unchanged the bank’s structure and environmentally damaging purposes.
Read more.Top Wolf Experts Say Science Doesn't Support Trump Plan to Strip Away Species’ Protection
WASHINGTON— Top wolf scientists said today that there are major flaws in the Trump administration proposal to end Endangered Species Act protection for gray wolves in nearly all the lower 48 states.
Read more.Poll: Majority of Americans Oppose Trump Plan to End Wolf Protections
WASHINGTON— A new national poll released today by the Center for Biological Diversity shows the majority of Americans oppose the Trump administration’s proposal to end Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in nearly all the lower 48 states.
Read more.Amid Extinction Crisis, Rep. Grijalva Introduces Bill to Save Critically Endangered Species
WASHINGTON— As scientists warn of a global extinction crisis, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) introduced legislation today that would provide funding for some of the most critically imperiled species in the United States — butterflies, Hawaiian plants, eastern freshwater mussels and southwest desert fish.
Read more.Trump Administration Waives Laws to Build 100 Miles of Border Wall Across Arizona National Monument, Wildlife Refuges
TUCSON, Ariz.— The Trump administration will waive dozens of environmental and public health laws to speed border-wall construction through federally protected sites in Arizona and California.
Read more.House Democrats Boost Endangered Species Listing Budget by 30%
WASHINGTON— House Democrats today released a funding bill for the Interior Department that includes $23.4 million to evaluate whether imperiled animals and plants warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act. That’s an increase of $5 million from the 2019 budget.
Read more.Lawsuit Targets Trump Administration Renewal of Oregon Ranchers' Grazing Permit
PORTLAND, Ore.― Conservations groups filed suit today challenging former Interior secretary Ryan Zinke’s order to renew grazing permits for Oregon ranchers Dwight and Steven Hammond. Zinke’s January 2019 order, one of his last official acts, came despite the Bureau of Land Management’s 2014 decision to cancel the Hammonds’ privilege to graze on public lands following a series of arson fires.
Read more.Lawsuit Seeks Details on Ocean Chief's Oversized Role in Slashing Environmental Protections
WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sued the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today for refusing to release public records detailing the activities of Stuart Levenbach, the agency’s chief of staff. The NOAA chief of staff oversees the overall operations of the agency and implements the policy directives and objectives of the administration.
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