Happy New Year to us and all the critters!!! 

Here is a look back in reveiw of some of the issues that have threatened or affected our wild life and natural habitats around the world  the past year. I along with many others, have  sent petitions  to President Bush and other State representatives. I  fight for the wildlife because they can not speak for them selves, and I can not bear the thought of losing any more wildlife or their habitats.  I want future generations to be able to experience nature ,and wildlife as I have been lucky enough to do .That is why I  work to not only preserve what we have , but to restore vanishing habitats  and other vital resources that have been lost, stripping us all of our natural heritage. Most of these lands are public and belong to each and every one of us. 

 Here is my year in review , starting with the most recent:
 

Union of Concerned Scientists 12-07
Energy bill..

Most recently, the Senate overwhelmingly passed an Energy Bill that will significantly strengthen fuel economy standards for vehicles for the first time in more than a generation.

This historic victory was not a complete one, however. The Senate removed the renewable electricity standard and clean energy tax incentives from the bill—both of which would have increased our nation's use of clean, renewable energy. The House of Representatives is expected to pass this version of the bill next week, and move it to the president's desk where he has already said he will sign it into law.

This bill represents years of work and is a significant step forward. The bill will boost Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards to a fleetwide average of at least 35 miles per gallon by 2020—saving 1.1 million barrels of oil per day in 2020 (about  half of what the United States currently imports from the Persian Gulf). This will significantly reduce America's oil consumption, save consumers billions at the gas pump each year, and is a meaningful step forward as we seek to reduce our nation's global warming pollution.

UCS and thier supporters have been a leading voice on this critical legislation—we should all be proud of what we have accomplished. Since they began thier "Fuel A Cooler Future" campaign almost a year ago, UCS activists have written letters, made phone calls, met with their representatives, called out corporations, and even sent personalized gas receipts to Congress. All to ensure this legislation passed.

UCS engineers backed up our actions, producing timely, rigorous analysis clearly demonstrating the consumer, economic, and environmental benefits of stronger fuel economy standards—materials Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid specifically mentioned when the Senate first passed these standards in June. Our Washington representatives, in turn, held countless meeting on Capitol Hill to explain the benefits of this legislation to House and Senate staff, and to counter the relentless, well-funded "can't do" lobbying tactics of the automakers and their allies that had for 30 years managed to hold sway in Washington.

But they also worked hard to get the renewable electricity standard and the clean energy tax credits included in the Energy Bill, and are disappointed that the White House threatened to veto the bill if it included such provisions. By forcing the Senate to strip the renewable standard and the tax credits from the bill, the Bush administration has further delayed the development of clean, homegrown renewable energy that will save consumers money and create jobs. We remain fully committed to passing a national renewable electricity standard as soon as possible.

Internationally, the increase of fuel economy standards for American vehicles has been seen as a sign that the United States is finally accepting responsibility for reducing its own global warming pollution. UCS staff attending a critical global meeting on climate change this week in Indonesia have held up this congressional action as indication that the Bush administration represents the past, not the future, on U.S. climate change and energy policy.

e- Environmental Defence 12-07
Victory in our efforts to fight global warming...

A federal judge in California today rebuked the auto industry's attempt to block California and 16 other states from setting tough new limits on global warming pollution from automobiles, calling these efforts "the very definition of folly."

Environmental Defense was a defendant-intervener in the case, working closely with California state officials and several other environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, Blue Water Network, Global Exchange, and Rainforest Action Network.

In the ruling, Federal District Court Judge Anthony Ishii rejected the auto industry's claim that federal fuel economy standards preempted the authority of California and other states to limit global warming pollution from automobiles.

This ruling comes three months to the day after a similar ruling by a federal judge in Vermont, and just eight months after the historic Supreme Court decision in early April that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has an obligation to regulate carbon dioxide under the Clean Air Act.

These are huge victories. Today's ruling shifts the focus to the EPA where a decision on whether to grant California's waiver request to tighten auto emission standards has been pending for two years.

A press statement  has just been issued  calling on EPA Administrator Steve Johnson to immediately grant California's request to move ahead with this program. All similar California air pollution requests have been approved. Not one has been turned down in EPA history.

In his ruling, Judge Ishii alluded to the importance of EPA granting the waiver. He wrote:

Given the level of impairment of human health and welfare that current climate science indicates may occur if human-generated greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated, it would be the very definition of folly if EPA were precluded from action.

Environmental Defense played a big role in these historic court rulings.  A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the General Counsel Jim Tripp and our Regional Director of our Climate and Air Program Jim Marston, who worked so hard on this case.

 Together, we are making progress...

e- Environmental Defence 12-07
Twelve Environmental Victories in 2007...

While they continue to make progress on our number one priority - capping America's global warming pollution - they are making a difference and winning real victories for the environment.

The bald eagle is back...

2007 may be remembered as the year of the eagle - the American bald eagle to be more precise.
Just before the July 4th holiday, Environmental Defense joined Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne for the historic announcement that the American bald eagle had officially recovered and was being removed from the threatened and endangered species list.
Bald eagles were once down to just 417 nesting pairs. But, our work to ban the use of DDT a generation ago combined with decades of implementing Endangered Species Act recovery management practices helped restore America's national symbol and one of nature's most majestic creatures.

Better permits, better markets for fishermen...

Morro Bay in California's central coast is home to one of the richest assemblages of marine life in the world. But destructive trawl fishing has threatened this important ocean ecosystem.
Environmental Defense worked with The Nature Conservancy and Morro Bay fishermen to come up with fishing practices that don't harm the environment. Together, we persuaded the Pacific Fishery Management Council to allow fishermen to lease trawl permits while using sustainable gear like hooks and traps, instead of trawls which are of the most damaging kinds of fishing gear. They also helped Morro Bay fishermen develop markets for seafood caught in sustainable ways.

Cleaning up school buses...

Their work with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to develop a 127-point "greenprint" to make New York the nation's greenest city earned many headlines this year.
But, you may not have heard about thier work to clean up the city's school buses by retrofitting more than 2300 large buses. These retrofits reduce the amount of particulate (soot) pollution from buses by 20-30% making for healthier commutes for our kids.
And in North Carolina, they helped secure legislative funding for a pilot program to retrofit a minimum of 250 school buses to reduce soot by 90%. The pilot program is the first of its kind in North Carolina and follows Environmental Defense's work in Texas, where a multi-year plan is underway to clean up Texas' entire fleet of school buses.

States take on global warming...

This summer, three states - Hawaii, New Jersey and Florida - joined California to enact tough statewide global warming pollution limits.
Several other states also took action to promote cleaner energy, including North Carolina where we helped pass a landmark energy bill, which includes a renewable energy standard and makes North Carolina one of only a handful of states to include a standard for energy efficiency.

Protecting valuable wetlands...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has mismanaged many projects, few more conspicuously than the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (Mr. Go), a little-used shipping channel. By destroying cypress swamps that had provided a buffer against storms, Mr. Go funneled Katrina's storm surge into New Orleans.
This fall, we helped convince Congress to pass major water legislation that shuts down Mr. Go and calls on the Corps to submit controversial projects to independent review.
1000 miles to the north, e- Environmental Defence  successfully launched our Western Lake Erie Basin project that promotes planting trees and grasses along streams, restoring wetlands and declining habitats in two key Lake Erie subwatersheds - the Blanchard and Tiffin.

Gulf catch program a success for all

Thier oceans team made a big splash this year by showing how innovative catch share programs conserve fisheries and improve a fisherman's bottom line. A precedent-setting catch program for the red snapper fishery in the Gulf of Mexico is already producing results. Catch shares dedicate a secure share of fish to fishermen, fishing communities or associations. Amounts are determined before each season begins and fishermen are allowed to buy and sell shares in order to maximize their profit.
They helped design and build the red snapper catch share program, which replaces old rules that restricted fishing to certain days and forced crews to throw back tons of dying fish. With the new rules, snapper prices are up by one-third and bycatch – the unintentional killing of fish – has dropped 80%.

Healthier hog farms in NC...

The North Carolina office helped pass the Swine Farm Environmental Performance Standards Act, which makes North Carolina the first state in the nation to ban the construction or expansion of lagoons and sprayfields on hog farms. The Act also sets strict health and environmental standards for any new waste management systems on hog farms and establishes a voluntary cost-share program to help hog farmers convert existing lagoons to cleaner systems.

Courts rule for the environment...

It was hard to miss the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision this spring decreeing that the EPA cannot sidestep its authority to regulate global warming pollution. But two recent federal appeals court victories could set the stage for cleaning up global warming pollution from America's vehicles.
In September, a federal judge in Vermont rejected arguments from automakers that they couldn't meet tighter global warming emissions standards. Then, earlier this month, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned major aspects of the Bush administration's flawed fuel economy standards for SUVs and light-duty trucks and ordered the Department of Transportation to strengthen the standards. Our lawyers helped argue both cases.

Environmental partnerships reap rewards

Their Corporate Partnerships team had another huge year with breakthroughs ranging from safer nanotechnology standards to developing new purchasing standards for eco-friendly farmed shrimp and helping Wal-Mart reduce its environmental footprint.
We also launched the landmark U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP), an alliance of 27 major corporations and 6 national environmental groups dedicated to Congressional passage of a national cap on greenhouse gas emissions. Together, we're calling for a market-based cap to reduce emissions 60% to 80% by 2050.

First interstate marine park created from NC to FL

e- Environmental Defence  helped design and win approval for the first interstate system of marine parks, stretching from North Carolina to the Florida Keys. The 500,000-acre network comprises eight tracts of stunning deep-water corals that serve as critical habitat for 73 species of grouper, snapper and tilefish.
The new network complements reserves we helped establish earlier, protecting shallow reef habitat in areas such as Florida's Dry Tortugas.

TX steps up to protect its rivers

As the West enters a record eighth year of drought, cities, agriculture and industry are vying for scarce water, often leaving too little water in rivers to keep fish and wildlife healthy. Now Texas has become the first state to legally protect natural river flows.
e- Environmental Defence  worked with water users to pass a new state law to better manage minimum flow requirements for every river in the state, including the seasonal flooding and other natural processes that rivers, bays and estuaries-- and their wildlife--need to thrive.

40 endangered species safe in Puerto Rico...

For the last several years, proposed plans to build two mega-resorts had threatened the Northeast Ecological Corridor (NEC) in Puerto Rico, located on the eastern corner of the main island. Construction of these resorts would have destroyed wetlands, habitat for over 40 endangered species and coral reefs.
However, thanks to the hard work and commitment of our activists and a coalition of environmental groups, The NEC's subtropical rainforests, leatherback sea turtles and coral reefs are now out of harm's way.
This fall, the Governor of Puerto Rico heard our calls for protection and issued an executive order designating the NEC a nature reserve, ensuring the necessary protection of its great ecological wealth.

Gulf Restoration Network Victories 11-07
cypress and clean water...

Won a great victory in protecting our cypress forests. Starting January 1, 2008, Wal-Mart will no longer accept cypress mulch that is harvested, bagged, or manufactured in the state of Louisiana.

Stopped Louisiana from removing clean water protections from all wetlands in the state

With the help of  conservation partners, obtained a final Congressional approval of permanent closure of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) - the hurricane highway that funneled Katrina's waters into New Orleans.

After 3 years of opposition from GRN and the Gumbo Alliance for safe LNG, Shell announced on March 28th 2007, that they would finally suspend the development of the Gulf Landing liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal. The terminal would have processed 136 million gallons of Gulf seawater daily, destroying all life in that water.

With the help of  conservation partners, persuaded the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deny a permit for the proposed Magnolia Bay Resort and Marina in the Nature Coast of Florida - the last great undeveloped stretch of Florida's coast. The development would have destroyed over a hundred acres of high quality wetlands and dredged a two-mile channel right through the middle of the Big Bend Seagrasses Aquatic Preserve. 

Stopped a proposed development project in Mississippi that would have placed three dams on streams that flow into Black Creek, Mississippi's only National Scenic Stream.

Was victorious in our suit against NMFS over the rebuilding/management plan for red snapper. The court found that the rebuilding plan did not meet the law.  In response, NOAA issued an Interim rule that cuts total allowable catch and imposes other management measures needed to end overfishing of this valuable species.

Defenders of Wildlife Victories 11-07

members and activists are now one million-strong and growing. And were able to...

Pass the Global Warming Wildlife Survival Act in the House, vital legislation to ensure the long-term survival of polar bears and other wildlife as global temperatures rise;

Introduce the Protect America's Wildlife (PAW) Act to stop Alaska's senseless wolf slaughter from the skies;

Stop Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's gruesome wolf paw bounty plan;

Protect rare condors in California from the threat of lead ammunition in their habitat; and much more.

Audubon Victories 11-07
Restoring Eco systems...

Ecosystems Law Enacted in Historic Veto Override
More than five years in the making, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which contains billions in funding to restore ecosystems, became law after Congress overrode President Bush's veto by a staggering margin. A longtime Audubon priority, the bill provides unprecedented ecosystem restoration funding authority in areas like the Everglades, the Great Lakes, coastal Louisiana, and the Mississippi River. Audubon activists from around the country have been aggressively lobbying in favor of the bill, particularly in recent months. In total, the $23 billion piece of legislation authorizes funding for navigation, flood protection, and $6 billion in ecosystem restoration. This is the first veto override of the Bush presidency. This law authorizes funding for the projects; Congress still has to appropriate the funds during the Fiscal Year 2009 budget cycle.

Audubon Victories 11-07
Global Warming...  

Global Warming Legislation Advances in Senate
On November 1, a Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee approved a bipartisan cap-and-trade bill aimed at reducing global warming emissions. The bill, generally referred to as the "Lieberman-Warner bill" after its chief sponsors, Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA), passed the subcommittee by a narrow 4-3 vote. The bill has received somewhat mixed reviews from the environmental community, primarily because the bill is not as strong as other cap-and-trade bills, such as the Sanders-Boxer bill (S 309, The Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act). In spite of the bill's shortcomings, it demonstrates the growing political momentum on Capitol Hill in favor of taking strong action to curb global warming pollution.

It is also worth noting that the bill includes provisions that would provide significant funding to protect birds and other wildlife imperiled by global warming. Audubon fully supports this provision and will be working to make sure that these funding options are kept in the bill, while working to strengthen other provisions. The full committee is currently holding hearings to evaluate the bill before a legislative markup on December 5th. As the bill moves forward, Audubon and other environmental groups will be working to strengthen the bill.

Wilderness Society Victories 10-07
Spotted Owls...

There's great news to report! The campaign to protect Spotted Owls and their habitat among the ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest generated 85,000 letters to decision makers within a few weeks. The corresponding drumbeat of news articles about this issue, most of them focused on the politicization of the owl's recovery plan, has also raised the bar. In Congress, there's a move afoot to demand that the Administration withdraw its plan. Should that fail, we're formulating a legal challenge to the plan.

Union of Concerned Scientists Victories  9-007
Drug Safety...

Congress steps up on drug safety
Congress has given final approval to a bill that will significantly improve the drug review process at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and hold the FDA more accountable, protecting us from unsafe drugs. By opening up the drug review process and documents to public scrutiny, the manipulation of research results becomes much more apparent and thus easier to counteract.

This legislative victory is crucial to public health and safety. Last year, when UCS surveyed nearly 1,000 FDA scientists, one in five reported that they had been asked by their supervisors to provide the public, the news media, and government officials "incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading information." When the unbiased research of qualified scientists was suppressed and distorted, flawed data led the FDA to approve drugs such as Vioxx, Avandia, and Ketek, which later proved to be harmful.

This bill requires that the views of drug reviewers are heard and not suppressed or ignored. In addition, the bill also protects scientists' right to publish their research, another way to safeguard the scientific integrity of FDA scientists and their work. Unfortunately the bill doesn't go far enough to restrict conflicts of interest on FDA advisory panels. Nonetheless, the new law will improve the FDA's drug review process and set the stage for similar reforms at other federal agencies.

Transparency is the cornerstone of scientific integrity—it's vital to the work of the FDA and all federal agencies to ensure that the work of scientists is not manipulated.

The FDA's performance will be monitored closely, tracking whether the public gets full access to the information they need. And we will again rely on your support as we continue to push for similar reforms at other federal agencies where science has been politicized and scientists have been intimidated.

UCS surveys have revealed similar problems at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. But as long as scientists and citizens continue to play an active role in the fight to ensure scientific integrity and transparency, I am confident we will prevail.

Defenders of Wildlife 8-07
Alaska wolves...

Alaska wolves finally got some good news: a state judge in Alaska  ruled in favor of a temporary restraining order against Governor Sarah Palin's bounty program for dead wolves ($150 per wolf killed - and they wanted one of the wolf's dismembered legs for proof!).

The decision is a direct result of an emergency motion filed by Defenders of Wildlife and their Alaska partners that challenged the legal authority of the state to issue bounties.

This ruling means that -- at least for the moment -- the State of Alaska cannot legally pay the $150 bounty to hunters.

Unfortunately, it does not mean that the killing is over. The Governor and the state's Board of Game are still bent on killing hundreds of wolves before April 30th.

Airborne gunners can still chase and kill wolves. And the ruling does nothing to stop the state from issuing even more aerial gunning permits to kill wolves or prevent Governor Palin from allowing the use of helicopters to track and kill wolves.

This campaign is far from over. In fact, we fully expect Governor Palin and the State Board of Game to aggressively pursue any and all means to find and kill hundreds of wolves before the end of the month.

 Sound science should dictate wildlife management. Wolves are becoming increasingly harder to find in areas where the state has allowed aerial gunning over the past three and a half years. We believe this is because the state overestimated the number of wolves there. The state lacks sufficient information on how many wolves exist and how many can be killed without harming Alaska ecosystems.

 The people should have their say. Alaska voters have twice voted to restrict aerial gunning of wolves. Even more expensive and extreme measures to kill wolves are unlikely to be any more popular.

Audubon  Victories 6-07
Clean Energy...

House Casts Solid Vote for Clean Energy ...
As the summer legislative session came to a close last weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a forward-looking energy bill. The bill included an amendment that establishes a nationwide renewable electricity standard, which increases our use of homegrown alternative sources of energy like wind and solar power. The amendment, sponsored by Reps. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Todd Platts (R-PA), was one of the most hotly contested issues during the debate and passed by a solid vote of 220-190.

This is a major step forward for clean energy and our efforts to stop global warming pollution. Thank you for all of your help and hard work in recent months—the email actions and phone calls kept the pressure on!

The renewable standard included in the energy bill requires that 15 percent of our electricity come from clean and renewable sources by 2020. The amendment also allows for a smaller percentage of this requirement to come from efficiency improvements.

The bill also included several other important measures, such as strong efficiency standards for appliances, increased incentives for investment in renewable energy, and safeguards to protect sensitive public lands from oil and gas drilling.

The Senate passed its own version of an energy bill earlier this summer and we are expecting leaders in the House and Senate to combine the two bills later this year. The Senate version did not include a renewable electricity standard, so Audubon will be working hard in the coming months to ensure that the standards passed by the House make it into the final version of the bill. The Senate bill did, however, include a modest increase to fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks—a provision absent from the House-passed bill. We'll work to keep the fuel standards in the final bill as well.

Congress Gives Ecosystem Restoration a Boost...

After five long years, Congress has finally reached an agreement on the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 (WRDA), providing unprecedented funding to restore some of America's most sensitive and valuable ecosystems. WRDA would help to restore many of the country's great ecosystems, including the Everglades, the Great Lakes, coastal Louisiana, and the Mississippi River. In total, the $21 billion piece of legislation provides more than $5.5 billion in ecosystem restoration funding. The House and Senate had previously passed different versions of the bill but reached agreement on a final version in conference last week, which the House overwhelmingly passed 381-40. The vote was delayed in the Senate, but is expected to pass when Congress returns in September.

The Everglades, coastal Louisiana, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes have continued to degrade for the last five years waiting for Congressional action. Unfortunately, President Bush has threatened to veto this legislation when it reaches his desk, which would cause further delays to restoring some of our greatest natural resources.
 Everglades, coastal Louisiana, the Mississippi River, the Great Lakes, and Phoenix's Rio Salado Oeste.

Audubon Victories 6-07
House Passes Farm Bill

On  July 27-07, the House passed their version of the 2007 Farm Bill. The bill, while not addressing all of Audubon's key priorities, did increase overall funding for conservation of bird and wildlife habitat on private lands. The suite of conservation programs administered by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) helps landowners voluntarily preserve over 40 million acres of habitat—more than the entire National Wildlife Refuge System in the lower 48 states.

Included in the House-passed bill are extensions of many of the popular conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program. In addition, the House reauthorized the Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), a program essential to protect and enhance habitat for grassland birds, many of which are declining in alarming numbers. Although the program was authorized at only one million acres over five years, we believe that the reauthorization is beneficial and allows us to continue to advocate for more funding for the program during the annual appropriations process.

The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program is reauthorized at its current level of $85 million per year and the Environmental Qualities Incentives Program (EQIP) will receive annual incremental increases advancing the program to $2 billion by 2012. Wildlife concerns currently receive 6% of EQIP money.

Although the House had the opportunity to write a Farm Bill that provided for greater reforms and more conservation, it chose to make smaller reforms and direct significant funding to conservation. Efforts to further reform the bill on the floor of the House were voted down by significant margins.

It's important to note the efforts of several environmental champions for their support for conservation, including Ron Kind (D-WI), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), and others. Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) deserves special congratulations for his work on the Agriculture Committee to strengthen the Conservation Title as well as for his work on the Rules Committee to ensure that funding for conservation was added at the 11th hour.

Now that the House has finished its bill, we anticipate Senate action sometime in September and hope to have a Conference Committee between the two bodies later this fall. The Audubon Policy Office will continue to advocate for more conservation programs and dollars as the process plays out.

Audubon Activists Boost Bill To Protect Great Lakes, Other Waterways ...

Eight Audubon activists went to Washington, DC on July 31-07, joining more than 25 other conservationists and scientists from across the country to ask Congress to improve and pass S 1578, legislation to control aquatic invasive species like the zebra mussel that threaten the Great Lakes and other lakes, rivers, and waterways.

As a result of Audubon's voices being heard loudly on Capitol Hill, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) agreed to offer an amendment to strengthen S 1578 by allowing states to regulate ballast water to control invasive species. Senator Boxer and Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) have committed their staffs to see if acceptable language can be worked out over the recess. Audubon will keep the pressure on to make sure strong legislation results from the process.

Clean Water Gets New Name and New Support...

The Clean Water Restoration Act (formerly the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act) is at a critical juncture. In July-07, the Clean Water Restoration Act, which would ensure protections for all waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act, was introduced in the Senate by clean water champion Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) and 19 cosponsors. The new Senate bill number is S 1870; the House number is HR 2421, introduced by Rep. Oberstar (D-WI) with 168 cosponsors.

There is momentum now in Congress to take action on the Clean Water Restoration Act. Last week there were two historic full-committee hearings in the House with a number of experts from academia, government, and the nonprofit sectors who testified in support of the bill.

Opponents are telling Members of Congress that passing the bill will make all kinds of things — hot tubs and swimming pools, for instance — protected water bodies. They are well-organized and include a number of special interests opposed to fully enforcing the Clean Water Act. Stay tuned for an alert as we push this important bill forward to ensure that wetlands, streams, tributaries and other waterways are protected under the Clean Water Act.

The Wait-and-See Department...

 Earlier this year a 100+ page document was leaked from the Department of Interior that contained draft plans to rewrite the Endangered Species Act. We're waiting now to see if the Administration actually intends to follow through with its overhaul of the Endangered Species Act.

 After a successful lawsuit brought by Audubon and other groups, plans to lease Teshekpuk Lake, a spectacular wetlands wilderness on Alaska's North slope, were halted. The Bureau of Land Management's initial Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was found to be faulty and we waited to see their revised EIS any day. Then we had a short period of time to write comments on the oil and gas leasing plan for Teshekpuk Lake, which provides key molting grounds and other habitat for millions of waterfowl.

National Wildlife Federation 7-007
'Environmental Flows' bill protecting water for wildlife passes the Texas Legislature

After years of an uncertain future due to lack of legal protections to keep enough water flowing in Texas' rivers and into Texas' bays to keep wildlife populations healthy, the tide has finally changed. In the midnight hour of the last day of the Texas Legislative session, a major triumph for fish and other wildlife took place when the legislature passed the Environmental Flows bill.

This law begins a new process to formally recognize and protect instream flows in Texas rivers and freshwater inflows into Texas bays and estuaries. In a state set apart by a tremendous natural heritage that includes such a vast diversity of bird species that it draws people from all over the world, almost 200,000 miles of rivers and streams and seven major bay systems that provide fishing and other recreational opportunities like no other place, the passage of this law couldn't be more timely.
  
This victory would not have been possible without the help of National Wildlife Federation's Texas Living Waters Project activists that have contacted their decision-makers time and time again on this issue that is so critical to future health of wildlife. No one and nothing can live without enough water, and now, thanks to you, Texas' wildlife species are a lot less likely to have to.

For more information on the Environmental Flows law and the process it lays out to ensure Texas' rivers and bays keep enough water in them to stay healthy, see the Texas Living Waters Project website

Audubon  Victories7-07
House Increases Funds for Environment...

The House of Representatives has recently passed what is largely viewed as the best funding bill for the Department of the Interior, the EPA, and the Forest Service in over 15 years. Not only does the bill restrict building new timber roads in Alaska's Tongass National Forest, it also funds many programs and agencies at their highest levels in years.

The National Wildlife Refuge System will receive $451 million for Fiscal Year 2008, an amount that will help keep the Refuge System open and fully functioning. The House also provided more than $200 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program that has received little to no support from previous congresses.

One of the more interesting initiatives in the House bill is a $50 million fund for a two year commission to study the impacts of global warming on public lands and suggest solutions to some of the identified problems.

The Senate has passed their bill out of the committee process, but has yet to bring it to the floor. It is expected that they will complete their work either in late July or early September.

 Defenders of Wildlife Victories 6-07

Sixty years ago today, Defenders of Wildlife was founded on the principle that our wildlife is worth protecting.

Since then, they have helped ensure passage of the Endangered Species Act, won the fight to return wolves to Yellowstone National Park and protect countless wild places and the wildlife that lives there.

To commemorate their anniversary, they put together a partial list of some of the ways we've helped them save wolves and other wildlife over the last six decades… and the last sixty days:

 Gray Wolves

A symbol of the wild, the gray wolf is once again an icon of Yellowstone National Park. But it didn't happen overnight. Defenders led a decades-long battle to bring wolves back to Yellowstone, which culminated with their reintroduction in 1995.
 

Bald Eagles

The comeback of America's national symbol is a true endangered species success story—and one Defenders helped write. Once nearly extinct, the Endangered Species Act has restored bald eagles to their former glory. When some in Congress attempted to dismantle the Endangered Species Act, Defenders fought back, leading efforts to protect the law that protects our bald eagles and other wildlife.
 

Dolphins

Countless dolphins—not to mention other marine mammals—were maimed or killed by driftnets used to capture tuna before Defenders led the successful fight in the 1980s and 1990s to ban large-scale driftnets on the high seas. The result: the "dolphin safe" label on tuna cans sold by companies that no longer used driftnets.

And they are not slowing down now. In the last sixty days alone, our support has helped advance  work to save…

Wolves in Alaska and the American Southwest threatened with cruel and baseless elimination plans. Through our actions and crucial financial support, Defenders supporters like you helped us stop anti-wolf legislation in New Mexico and block Alaska's gruesome, illegal wolf bounty plan.

California condors poisoned by the use of lead ammunition. With your support, legislation to reduce the use of lead ammunition passed a key California committee earlier this month. Lead poisoning remains one of the largest threats to successful condor recovery.

Brown bears threatened by expanded hunting near their home in Alaska's McNeil River State Game Sanctuary and Refuge. Tens of thousands of Defenders supporters sent messages opposing a now-defeated proposal to increase hunting near these beloved bears' home.
Cook Inlet's imperiled beluga whales, a species that has all but vanished and is in dire need of protection under the Endangered Species Act.

 In the last several weeks, nearly 26,000 Defenders supporters spoke out in support of the protections, and last week the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) reversed an earlier decision and proposed listing the imperiled Cook Inlet beluga whale as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Diamondback terrapins in Maryland, where over-harvesting has reduced their population by 75% in the past two decades. Yesterday, Governor Martin O'Malley signed a ban on the commercial harvest of these beloved turtles into law, after Defenders supporters sent thousands of messages and placed hundreds of calls to save Maryland's "terps."

As Defenders celebrates our 60th birthday, they  remain committed to protecting this and other wildlife .

Wilderness Society Victories 5-07

The wild places of southern Utah hold many secrets.
There are majestic slot canyons of ochre that are utterly silent save for the echoes of footfall or voice. Cool springs, rimmed with the prints of small animals, reflect violet cliffs and the leaves of yellowed cottonwoods. Hidden half-caverns of vermillion and rose evoke a feeling that no human has set foot here for hundreds of years. There are spaces so vast that sky and stone mingle and only wind and light seem able to traverse them.
Visit these special places just once and you'll know why so many have worked so long to win permanent protection for this area. The latest attempt to designate this revered region as Wilderness is now underway, with the most recent introduction of the Red Rocks Wilderness Act.

Wild Sky Wilderness Bill Passes House

The previous month  the Wilderness Society told us about the Wild Sky Wilderness bill passing out of a key House Committee. In April, this legislation was approved by the full House of Representatives. The Wild Sky Wilderness proposal would protect 106,000 acres of forests, rivers, valleys and mountains in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. "This is a dream come true for folks in the Sky Valley," said Mike Town with Friends of the Wild Sky. "Protecting the Wild Sky will help protect our communities' future." We will keep you informed of progress on Wild Sky Wilderness in the Senate.

The way the WildAlert community reacted recently to threats to the Tongass National Forest in Alaska and the Upper Green River Valley in Wyoming has truly lifted our spirits.

More than 55,000 of you told the Forest Service to revise the logging levels on the Tongass, and we're well on our way to raising that number of comments on the plan to triple gas wells in the Upper Green - a major wildlife corridor of the Yellowstone ecosystem.

Senate Bill Would Protect National Landscape Conservation System

In 2000, the crown jewels of the Bureau of Land Management were organized into the National Landscape Conservation System. The Conservation System includes National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wild and Scenic Rivers and more. Yet the Conservation System enjoys no permanent designation and these extraordinary places are being ruined by vandalism, reckless off-road vehicle use, oil and gas drilling, and neglect. With an average of less than one ranger for every 200,000 acres, there are too few staff to protect these lands. In April, Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), introduced legislation to protect and make permanent the National Landscape Conservation System.

 Union of Concerned Scientists  5-07
turning up the heat on ExxonMobil...

  
 Thanks to our letters, and the recent report exposing ExxonMobil's efforts to manufacture uncertainty on climate change, ExxonMobil has reached out to UCS. They want to meet with them to discuss our concerns!

 UCS and thier supporters want the corporation to stop funding all global warming contrarian groups, publicize that information promptly, invest in clean energy solutions, reduce the corporation's global warming pollution, and stop blocking federal action to address climate change.

At the Union of Concerned Scientists, collaboration is a guiding principle. Working with the "Exxpose Exxon" campaign, UCS is educating Americans about ExxonMobil's efforts to deceive the public and undermine legislation to reduce global warming pollution.

They follow the example set by the scientific community—share information, seek the truth, let thier findings guide our conclusions. And are  proud to share the results of our research and to work alongside other advocacy groups, decision-makers in government, and local citizens' groups to achieve our common goal—a cleaner, healthier environment and a safer world.

 With ExxonMobil, we have seen that it's not enough to speak the truth and back it up with rigorous scientific research. More than ever, we need to expand and deepen our collaboration with others who share our hope for a healthy environment and a safe world. 

These are only a few of the issues that affected our wildlife and nature this year, there are many more . The following Conseravation Organizations are a great way to keep up with what is going on with our nature and wildlife  around the globe. And it's simple to voice your oppinion and make a difference in our world!

The Wilderness Society 

The Wilderness Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving American wilderness. Our mission is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, wildlife, beauty, and opportunity for recreation and renewal provided by pristine forests, rivers, deserts, and mountains.

The Defenders of Wildlife 

Defenders of Wildlife is a national, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. 
 

The National Wildlife  Federation

National Wildlife Federation inspires Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.We have been working to protect America's wildlife since 1936.We represent the power and commitment of four million members and supporters joined by affiliated wildlife organizations in 47 states and territories.We channel the energy of thousands of volunteers from all walks of life to take action because they care about wildlife.We unite Americans in their shared value of wildlife.

The National Audubon Society 

Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.

The Union of Concerned Scientists

is the leading science-based nonprofit working for a healthy environment and a safer world. UCS combines independent scientific research and citizen action to develop innovative, practical solutions and to secure responsible changes in government policy, corporate practices, and consumer choices.

The Gulf Restoration Network

The Gulf Restoration Network is a diverse network of individuals and local, regional, and national groups committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the resources of the Gulf of Mexico region for future generations. Founded in 1994, the GRN has members in each of the five Gulf states. 

e- Environmental Defence

Environmental Defense is a leading national nonprofit organization representing more than 500,000 members. Since 1967, we have linked science, economics and law to create innovative, equitable and cost-effective solutions to society's most urgent environmental problems.

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You can find alot more Organizations that defend our Wildlife and Natural lands on my resources page as well.

Here is to another year of accomplishments and victories! And to all the  conservational groups and individual people that fight so hard for our wildlifes and natures, and arm us with the valuable information and resources needed to make possative changes in our world,  I would like to say ... THANKYOU!!!

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