Media Center

100 Scientists Call on Biden Administration to Save the Gulf of Mexico Whale

October 13, 2022 Press ReleaseUnited States

Washington, D.C. – In a letter sent today to senior government officials, more than 100 marine scientists are urging the Biden administration to protect the endangered Gulf of Mexico whale, “a unique part of the Gulf’s natural history,” from extinction.

Judge Approves Multi-Million Dollar Clean-Up for Penobscot River

October 11, 2022 Press ReleaseMaine

BANGOR, ME — Today, a Federal District Court in Maine approved a settlement that requires Mallinckrodt US LLC to pay for mercury remediation in the Penobscot River Estuary, concluding a more than two decade long legal fight led by Maine…

Committee Advances Fisheries Bill to Recognize Climate Impacts for the First Time, Strengthen Resilience for Coastal Communities

September 29, 2022 Press ReleaseUnited States

Five leading ocean conservation organizations praise Reps. Huffman, Case, and Peltola’s leadership to update U.S. fishing laws

Tribes, Commercial Fishermen, Chefs, Seafood Industry Leaders, Conservation Groups Celebrate Record-Breaking Fishing Season

August 10, 2022 Press ReleaseAlaska

Advocates Double Down, Urge EPA to Finish the Job, End the Threat of Pebble Mine Now

Biden Administration Five Year Offshore Oil & Gas Plan is “Lose‑Lose”

July 1, 2022 Press ReleaseUnited States

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today proposed as many as 11 potential offshore leases for oil and gas companies in public waters in the Gulf of Mexico and possibly Alaska for the…

U.S. Leaders Commit to Tackling Illegal Fishing at UN Ocean Conference

July 1, 2022 Press ReleaseInternational

LISBON, PORTUGAL – At the United Nations Ocean Conference this week, the United States made a series of announcements elevating its commitment to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and associated labor abuses.

Recertification of Lobster Fishery Would Harm Right Whales, Mislead Consumers

June 27, 2022 Press ReleaseEast

NEW YORK – Conservation groups acted today to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale by formally objecting to a determination that the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery should be recertified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainability standard…

South Fork Wind and Leading Environmental Organizations Sign Agreement to Further Enhance Protections for North Atlantic Right Whales

June 27, 2022 Press ReleaseEast

BOSTON – South Fork Wind, a joint venture offshore wind project developed by Ørsted and Eversource, announced today it has signed an agreement with leading environmental organizations to further enhance measures designed to protect the North Atlantic right whale during…

Court Strikes Down Glyphosate Decision

June 17, 2022 Press ReleaseUnited States

SAN FRANCISCO – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion in a challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to permit widespread, continued use of the herbicide glyphosate.

100 Groups Urge Global Leaders to Stop Extinction

June 16, 2022 Press ReleaseInternational

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 100 organizations from five continents today urged negotiators headed to a world biodiversity meeting to commit to stopping human-caused extinctions of species. The groups’ letter comes as negotiations over the global framework to combat biodiversity…

EPA Agrees to Evaluate Effects of Neonics

March 8, 2022 Press ReleaseUnited States

NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) settled the remaining claims in NRDC’s 2017 lawsuit, which challenged the EPA’s failure to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA) when approving dozens of neonicotinoid pesticides (“neonics”).

Congressional Leaders Introduce Bill to Save the North Atlantic Right Whale

February 16, 2022 Press ReleaseEast

Washington – Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) today introduced the “Right Whale Coexistence Act,” formerly known as the SAVE right whales act. This important legislation aims…

U.S. Launches Trade Complaint Over Mexico’s Failure to Protect Vaquita

February 10, 2022 Press ReleaseMexico

WASHINGTON— U.S. Trade Representative Catherine Tai formally requested environmental consultations with Mexico today over its illegal fishing. Aimed at protecting the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, the request is the first step under the enforcement and dispute mechanism of the United…

Gray Wolves Relisted Under Endangered Species Act

February 10, 2022 Press ReleaseUnited States

SAN FRANCISCO – A U.S. District Court today restored Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves, siding with NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and its partners after the organizations filed lawsuits in January 2021 over the U.S. Fish and Wildlife…

Governor Murphy Signs Bill that Addresses Threat to Pollinators

January 18, 2022 Press ReleaseNew Jersey

TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law A2070 (Calabrese)/S1016 (Smith) today, which prohibits most outdoor non-agricultural uses of harmful neonicotinoid pesticides. An outpouring of scientific evidence points to neonics as a leading cause of bee losses…

Restore Essential Ocean Protections in Build Back Better Act

December 16, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

WASHINGTON - Senate negotiators have scrubbed language from the Build Back Better Act that would protect ocean waters, marine life and coastal communities from the risk of offshore oil and gas drilling. The language that was taken out would have…

Newsom Administration Releases Plan to Combat California’s Biodiversity and Climate Crises

December 15, 2021 Press ReleaseCalifornia

SACRAMENTO – The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) today released its draft Pathways to 30x30 document, which identifies strategies to achieve California’s conservation goal, called “30x30,” after receiving broad public input, including from stakeholder groups and Tribal nations throughout the…

Deadline Today: Will Nations Lose Access to U.S. Seafood Market?

November 30, 2021 Press ReleaseInternational, United States

WASHINGTON — By today’s deadline, seafood-exporting nations worldwide must have adopted regulations to reduce entanglements of whales, dolphins and seals in fishing gear or face a U.S. import ban.

On Ocean Day at COP26, Blue Leaders Call for Major Ocean Protections

November 5, 2021 Press ReleaseInternational

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – During ocean day at COP26, a broad coalition of government leaders and ocean advocates known as Blue Leaders today called for immediate action by heads of state to protect the world’s vast ocean and its precious biodiversity…

Biden Administration Proposes Partial Restoration of ESA Protections

October 26, 2021 Press ReleaseUnited States

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today proposed the repeal of two Trump-era regulatory changes that weakened critical habitat protections under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The proposed reversals are now…