Tag: policy

February 7, 2018

Supreme Court will review controversial frog habitat case

The Supreme Court has decided to hear a case centering on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s controversial designation of land as critical habitat for an endangered frog, despite the species...

February 6, 2018

‘Life-saving road’ cuts through Alaska waterfowl habitat

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has signed an agreement to move forward with a land swap in order to build a gravel road through Alaska’s Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, including portions...

February 2, 2018

Advisory boards face upheaval in Trump administration

Many advisory boards are changing in leadership and organization under the Trump administration. These changes have drawn pushback from some board members and non-government partners. Federal advisory boards are authorized...

February 1, 2018

TWS urges Zinke to balance Alaska wildlife needs with energy development

The Wildlife Society has written a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, urging him to protect important wildlife habitat on lands in the National Petroleum Reserve—Alaska (NPR-A)  as the Bureau of...

January 31, 2018

Bill would bar president from creating national monuments in Arizona

Congressional representatives from Arizona have introduced legislation to prevent the president from extending or establishing national monuments within state borders. Reps. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and and Andy Briggs (R-AZ) introduced...

January 30, 2018

Supreme Court sends water rule to district courts

On Jan. 22, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that challenges to the Clean Water Rule should be heard in federal district courts rather than in federal appeals courts. The Obama-era...

January 30, 2018

Eastern puma declared extinct, 80 years after last confirmed sighting

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a final rule that declared the eastern puma (Puma concolor couguar) extinct. This review process began in July 2015, when the USFWS...

January 29, 2018

USFWS initiates reviews for several threatened or endangered species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has called for a status review of 18 species currently listed as threatened or endangered. These status reviews, which are required once every five...

January 25, 2018

Interior subjects grants to new executive review

The U.S. Department of Interior has increased its oversight of discretionary grant allocations and cooperative agreements made by its various bureaus. According to a Dec. 28 memorandum, all discretionary funding...

January 24, 2018

Shutdown ends with promise of compromise

Both the House and Senate voted Monday to end the three-day partial shutdown of the federal government that began at midnight Saturday. The new continuing resolution — the fourth for...