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San Francisco RISE march
Center for     Biological     Diversity   

A Stunning Week of Climate Activism — Thank You

This is what the resistance looks like.

On Saturday thousands of Ignite Change members took part in RISE, a worldwide call for climate action, including more than 900 marches, concerts, teach-ins and voter registration drives. The event in San Francisco alone drew 30,000 people. Hundreds also rallied this week in Utah against fossil fuel development.

Today we're putting more heat on California Gov. Jerry Brown, who's hosting a Global Climate Action Summit. We'll be there in force urging him to be a real climate leader and halt new fossil fuel development in the state.

Join our amazing network of Ignite Change volunteers who are fighting for wildlife and the planet, check out this footage of Saturday's rally, and learn more about Brown's Last Chance.

Pronghorn

Zinke's Oil, Gas Leases Carving Up Wyoming Habitat

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke sure has a funny way of following up on his plan to "improve" habitat for migrating western species like pronghorn and mule deer.

A new analysis by the Center shows that by the end of 2018, Zinke will have offered up 1.2 million acres of pronghorn and mule deer winter habitat and migration corridors in Wyoming for oil and gas drilling.

"Zinke's plan would let big oil companies choke off vital migration routes for pronghorn and mule deer," said the Center's Randi Spivak. "This study should be a wake-up call for anyone fooled by Zinke's claim to care about wildlife. His push for massive new frack fields will drive these magnificent animals and their ancient migratory ways to the brink."

Read more in our press release.

Center Raises Reward to $15,000 for Condor Killer

The Center has tripled a $5,000 reward to $15,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the July 2018 killing of a California condor. Condors are protected under California law and the federal Endangered Species Act.

"We hope this additional reward prompts anyone with knowledge to come forward so this crime can be fully prosecuted," said the Center's Ileene Anderson.

If you have information about the killing, please call (916) 569-8476. Callers can remain anonymous. Learn more.

Los Angeles oil field

Oil-drilling Toxics Used Most in L.A.'s Disadvantaged Areas

Eleven Los Angeles County communities with high poverty and minority populations suffer the heaviest use of toxic oil-drilling chemicals, reveals a new Center analysis released Monday.

The 15 ZIP codes where oil companies most heavily use the chemicals include parts of Long Beach, South L.A. County and the Westside — and 11 of those contain neighborhoods deemed "disadvantaged" by the California Environmental Protection Agency.

"Oil companies are using massive amounts of chemicals that make people sick in communities already enduring high rates of health problems," said Center scientist John Fleming. "State regulators give out drilling permits like they're candy, and it hurts people of color and vulnerable residents the most."

Read more in our press release.

Firefighter

Phase Out Toxic Flame Retardants in California

California is on the cusp of phasing out toxic flame retardants on a wide range of items, from furniture and mattresses to certain children's products. We say good riddance.

These unnecessary chemicals have been linked to many harms, from childhood development problems to cancer. They can also make fires worse, because when they burn, they increase smoke, soot and toxic gases. Over the past several decades, cancer rates have increased among firefighters, in part due to these chemicals.

Fortunately a new bill, A.B. 2998, just passed the state legislature and is awaiting Gov. Brown's signature, and California regulators are proposing new public-safety rules. These two steps would eliminate toxic flame retardants from many products.

Act now to urge Gov. Brown and state officials to get these chemicals out of our environment.

Revelator Essay: An Orca in Grief

Orca

Many people were deeply saddened last month by the story of Tahlequah, the female Southern Resident orca who — unable to eat enough to keep her baby alive — carried the dead calf for 17 days across 1,000 miles off the Pacific Northwest Coast.

Now in The Revelator, Rachel Clark shares a beautiful essay about how Tahlequah's "tour of grief" relates to human activity, calling on us to stand up for endangered West Coast orcas and their home.

Read more.

Juvenile whooping cranes at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Petition: Feds Must End Pesticide Use on Alabama Refuge

National wildlife refuges were created to save wildlife, not prop up industrial agriculture. So the Center and allies just filed a petition asking Trump's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to end toxic pesticide use on Alabama's Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Private commercial farming is allowed on 3,000 acres of refuge lands there, at Wheeler and Key Cave. In 2016 almost 500 pounds of pesticides that harm wildlife — including glyphosate, 2,4-D and dicamba — were applied to 1,000-plus acres of these refuges.

Our petition follows the Service's recent decision to allow bee-killing pesticides and genetically engineered crops (which trigger greater pesticide use) in national wildlife refuges.

"Agricultural pesticides and endangered wildlife like whooping cranes don't mix," said the Center's Hannah Connor.

Read more in our press release.

Plains Pipeline Co. Guilty of Felony in Refugio Oil Spill

Biologist at Refugio oil spill site

A jury has found Texas-based Plains All American Pipeline criminally liable for the 2015 Refugio oil spill, caused by the rupture of a California oil pipeline the company failed to maintain. The spill, near Santa Barbara, killed hundreds of birds and marine mammals, blackening the coastline.

Plains has applied to build a new pipeline in the same location; meanwhile ExxonMobil is seeking permits to transport oil by truck so it can restart three offshore platforms in the region.

Read more in the Los Angeles Times.

Solar panel

Suit Pushes Back Against Solar Energy Attack

The Center and allies have sued the Tennessee Valley Authority for imposing unfair electricity rates discouraging renewable-energy investment and energy efficiency throughout the South.

The utility's board of directors (mostly appointed by Trump) just approved discriminatory changes like a fixed electricity fee for residential clients regardless of their energy usage, making rooftop solar less cost effective. It's also reducing electricity rates for large businesses, encouraging companies to keep relying on its fossil fuel-powered energy instead of investing in distributed solar.

"TVA's outrageous new rates penalize people working hard to save energy and money while rewarding big companies running up huge electricity bills," said Center attorney Howard Crystal, coauthor of our lawsuit.

Read more in The Washington Post.

Mama bear and cub

Wild & Weird: A Bear Grows Up in the Borderlands

Want to watch a wild, playful black bear cub grow up in the rugged U.S.-Mexico borderlands? You're in luck.

Over the course of about 15 months, the Center's borderlands critter cams have captured many moments in the life of Monsoon, a bear cub we've seen grow from about 2 months old — secure at its mother's side — to a fully independent yearling, no longer under its mother's care. You may be surprised by the diversity of Monsoon's neighbors, too: cacti, coatis, coyotes, bats, pumas and even a jaguar.

Check out the video on Facebook or YouTube.

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Photo credits: San Francisco RISE climate march by Jason Pfeifle/Center for Biological Diversity; Wyoming pronghorn by shinythings/Flickr; California condor by Szmurlo/Wikimedia; Los Angeles oil field by The City Project/Flickr;
firefighter by Samuel King, Jr./Flickr; orca by Candice Emmons/NOAA; juvenile whooping cranes at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge Complex by Bill Gates/USFWS; biologist at Refugio oil spill site courtesy USFWS; rooftop solar panel by kincuri/Flickr; bear mother and cub by Russ McSpadden/Center for Biological Diversity.

Center for Biological Diversity
P.O. Box 710
Tucson, AZ 85702
United States