** Monarch butterflies denied protections in Trump war on wildlife
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Wednesday, December 16, 2020
Monarch butterfly | Peter Miller ([link removed])

The Trump administration is once again denying Endangered Species Act protections to a species threatened with extinction—the iconic monarch butterfly ([link removed]) . As with a decision two days ago on the northern spotted owl ([link removed]) , Fish and Wildlife Service officials say the monarch deserves to be listed ([link removed]) as "endangered," but the agency will not act to grant those protections, instead focusing on "higher priority listings."

Monarch butterfly populations have plummeted due to widespread habitat loss, use of insecticides, and climate change-fueled weather events. According to government scientists, the monarch population in the West has fallen ([link removed]) from 1.2 million in 1997 to fewer than 30,000 last year.

Under Secretary Bernhardt, the Interior Department is racing to finalize even more widespread rollbacks of wildlife protections. Yesterday, the agency announced it would restrict ([link removed]) which habitat could be protected under the Endangered Species Act, making it even harder for imperiled species to recover. Among other rollbacks in the works, the agency is expected to finalize regulations that will allow drilling and mining companies to inadvertently kill migratory birds ([link removed]) without facing any penalties under the century-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Quick hits


** Trump administration takes next step towards seismic testing in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
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Anchorage Daily News ([link removed])


** New Interior Department rule will shrink protected habitat for endangered wildlife
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Washington Post ([link removed])


** Bureau of Land Management confronts brain drain under Trump administration
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KJZZ ([link removed])


** Congress passed bipartisan conservation legislation, then the Trump administration got in the way
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Inside Climate News ([link removed])


** New Mexico to ban sales of fresh water from state lands for oil and gas drilling
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** Colorado senator introduces bill to fund wildfire mitigation, river clean-ups, creating 2 million jobs
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Colorado Public Radio ([link removed])


** Trump administration denies protections to monarch butterflies, despite scientists' findings
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New York Times ([link removed]) | NPR ([link removed]) | ABC News ([link removed]) | The Hill ([link removed]) | Associated Press ([link removed])


** Opinion: Oppose military expansion into Nevada's public lands
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Nevada Independent ([link removed])
Quote of the day
Rather than looking at fresh water as a commodity for sale to the highest bidder, we should look at the advancements in water recycling and produced water as our way forward. There is simply no reason for fresh water to be used for fracking.”
—Stephanie Garcia Richard ([link removed]) , New Mexico State Land Commisioner
Picture this

New Mexico's Bisti/Di-Na-Zin Wilderness
Photo by Sherman Hogue | Bureau of Land Management ([link removed])

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