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Defenders of Wildlife Applauds New ‘Special Areas’ Rule
The Biden administration today announced regulations to safeguard “Special Areas” identified for exceptional wildlife and cultural values in Alaska’s Western Arctic. Defenders of Wildlife supports
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Defenders Secures Win for Polar Bears in Alaska's North Slope
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finding that oil and gas activities in Alaska pose
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Alaska District Court Rules Willow Oil Project Can Proceed; Conservation Groups Plan To File Appeal
Environmental groups intend to challenge today’s federal court ruling that the Willow oil-drilling project in Alaska’s Western Arctic can proceed. A federal court in Alaska
More Polar Bear Press Releases
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Oil and Polar Bears Don’t Mix: Trump Administration Asks Public to Review Peer-reviewed Polar Bear Study
On Tuesday, February 18, the Trump administration will open an unprecedented 60-day comment period asking the public to comment on a study authored by its own scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) entitled “Seismic survey design and potential impacts to maternal polar bear dens.” The study is intended to support decision making on potential fossil fuel development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, though such research is not typically offered for public comment.
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Presidential Budget Abandons Programs Supportive of Wildlife and Climate Science
Yesterday, President Trump released his proposed federal budget for 2021 that significantly cuts programs that conserve wildlife, support science and address climate change.
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Bad News for Wildlife: Border Wall Funding Approved in 2020 Spending Bill
After weeks of negotiations, Congress unveiled the $1.4 trillion package that will raise discretionary federal spending by $49 billion for the rest of fiscal 2020.
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Defenders Statement on National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Lease Sale, IAP Hearing
The Trump administration will be holding an oil and gas lease sale for 4 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) today. Lease sales in the NPRA have been held annually since 2011. The last two lease sales in the reserve brought in $1 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
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Trump Administration Doubles Down on Alaskan Drilling
Today, the Bureau of Land Management released the draft Integrated Activity Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 22-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A).
jcovey@defenders.org
