News & Updates
Conservation groups relieved protections will remain for 3.4 million acres of critical northern spotted owl habitat
Conservation groups in the Pacific Northwest have expressed relief that a final rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Fish and Wildlife) will reinstate federal protections for old-growth forests, forests essential for the survival of the northern spotted...
Conservation groups unite to protect threatened species in Colorado
Today, Defenders of Wildlife, The Wilderness Society, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, San Juan Citizens Alliance, WildEarth Guardians, and the Western Environmental Law Center filed two lawsuits against the United States Forest Service over its newly revised...
Biden makes climate pledge at Glasgow while pushing oil, gas leasing in U.S.
U.S. climate groups slammed the Biden administration today for ignoring climate impacts and refusing to stop oil and gas leasing on public lands despite President Biden’s Glasgow pledge to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The revised plans for February lease...
Biden administration strengthens safeguards for methane pollution
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed two pollution rules for methane, a component of natural gas, and other pollutants from new and modified sources in the oil and gas sector. Methane is a critical aspect to addressing the climate crisis, as it is...
Wildlife advocates convince feds to keep lynx protections, write long-overdue recovery plan
Today, a coalition of conservation organizations secured a legal settlement that will aid threatened Canada lynx recovery: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will abandon plans to remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for the struggling snow cat in the...
Judge: Montana DEQ failed to protect water near Rosebud Coal Mine
In an important victory for clean water in Montana, a Montana district court judge ruled on Thursday that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) repeatedly ignored the law and failed to protect water quality from an expansion of the Rosebud coal strip...
Mexican wolves see improved but imperfect management rule
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a new rule for managing the recovery of endangered Mexican gray wolves. In a major improvement for lobos, the wild population would no longer be arbitrarily capped at 320 wolves. And the Service would have more...
Challengers to Jordan Cove LNG get their day in federal court
Oral argument for lawsuit challenging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s approval of the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal and Pacific Connector gas pipeline (Evans v. FERC) is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28 WHEN: Thursday, October 28, 6:00am-9:30am PST. WHERE:...
Fishing, recreation advocates topple critical Trump-era Clean Water Act federal power grab
Late last night, fishing and recreation advocates won a significant victory for clean water when a federal district court threw out (vacated) a critical Trump Clean Water Act rule. Today’s order from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California...
Nellis Kennedy-Howard joins WELC board of directors
The Western Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit public-interest environmental law firm, is proud to announce the addition of Nellis Kennedy-Howard to its board of directors. Nellis Kennedy-Howard is an attorney with certificates in federal Indian law and natural...
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