For Immediate Release, September 3, 2026
Contacts: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org
Brittany McWhorter, Gulf of Mexico Environmental Program Coordinator, brittany@seaturtles.org 

What’s Hiding in Galveston’s Sand?

Local Volunteers Join the Microplastic Task Force to Tackle Tiny Plastic Pollution Threatening Marine Life

Galveston, Texas — Microplastics may be nearly invisible to the naked eye, but they’re turning up along Galveston’s beaches and in coastal waters — and local volunteers are helping scientists understand just how much is out there. On September 10 from 6–7 p.m. CT, Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN) will host a free virtual information meeting for community members interested in joining its Microplastic Task Force.

The volunteer-powered citizen science program collects and processes sand and water samples from around Galveston Island, identifying the types and quantities of microplastics present. The data is helping build a clearer picture of how this pervasive pollution is affecting the Galveston Bay ecosystem and the marine wildlife that depends on it.

TIRN’s microplastic research began in 2017 and has engaged volunteers, students and interns in collecting and analyzing samples. From 2021–2024, TIRN partnered with the Environmental Institute of Houston at the University of Houston-Clear Lake on a comprehensive study of microplastics throughout the Galveston Bay watershed.

The September 10 meeting will introduce participants to the program, explain how samples are collected and analyzed, share what the research has revealed so far, and explore the impacts of microplastics on marine wildlife and ocean health.

“Our microplastics task force is a diverse group of folks interested in gaining hands-on experience investigating microplastics in sand and shoreline water samples along Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.” Brittany McWhorter, TIRN’s Environmental Program Coordinator continues, “we’re able to use this data to advocate for stronger macro and micro-plastic  policies at the local, state and federal levels to protect our ocean wildlife and communities alike!” 

The meeting is free and open to anyone interested in learning more or becoming involved in local microplastic research. Zoom information will be provided upon registration.

WHEN: September 10, 2026, 6–7 p.m. CT
WHERE: Online via Zoom
RSVP: Register here

To learn more about Turtle Island Restoration Network, visit https://seaturtles.org.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.

For Immediate Release, September 1, 2026
Contacts: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org
Elise Bennett, Florida & Caribbean Director, Center for Biological Diversity, ebennett@biologicaldiversity.org, 727-755-6950
Ella Stern, Communications Specialist, Defenders of Wildlife, estern@defenders.org
Rumela Roy, Senior Attorney, Earthjustice, rroy@earthjustice.org

U.S. Appeals Court Rules to Protect Imperiled Sea Turtles from Drowning in Fishing Nets

Rejects Louisiana Shrimp Association attempt to exempt shrimp boats from using
Turtle Excluder Devices

New Orleans, Louisiana— A federal appeals court has affirmed a district court ruling upholding the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) 2019 rule requiring some shrimp trawling vessels to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs). The August 28 unanimous panel decision by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals rejects a challenge brought by the Louisiana Shrimp Association and several individual shrimpers, who argued the rule was arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The court found that NMFS provided a rational, evidence-backed explanation for the rule’s TED requirements for skimmer trawl shrimp vessels 40 feet and longer, citing federal observer data and post-interaction mortality studies showing that skimmer trawls capture and kill imperiled sea turtles. The court also pointed to evidence demonstrating skimmer trawl vessels’ widespread noncompliance with tow-time restrictions (limits on how long trawlers can tow their nets before having to check for captured turtles) that the rule replaced. In some years, less than 35% of observed tows complied with the limits.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and Turtle Island Restoration Network, represented by Earthjustice, filed an amicus brief in the case in support of TED requirements to protect endangered and threatened sea turtles. TEDs have been required, and successfully used, on many fishing vessels for nearly forty years to help sea turtles escape when they get caught in shrimp trawler nets. Conservation groups have long advocated for TEDs to also be required on skimmer trawl vessels, which for decades operated under an exemption that conservation groups say allowed thousands of preventable sea turtle deaths in the Gulf of Mexico and along the southeastern coast. 

“We are delighted by this current ruling that will reduce the number of sea turtles from drowning in large shrimp nets, but we will continue to advocate for TEDs to be required in all skimmer trawls to prevent the continuing cruel and unnecessary drowning of these gentle endangered turtles,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Director for Turtle Island Restoration Network.

“It’s a relief that the court didn’t take the bait and dismantle protections that are already far weaker than what’s needed to secure a future for our precious sea turtles,” said Elise Bennett, Florida and Caribbean director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “We won’t rest easy until these commonsense, lifesaving protections prevent senseless deaths of turtles in all skimmer trawls.”

“This decision maintains a vital lifeline for Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, the smallest and most endangered sea turtle species worldwide, for which Louisiana’s waters are key foraging habitat,” said Jane Davenport, senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife. “Tow-time restrictions just don’t work. TEDs are a coexistence win for sea turtles and fishermen alike.”

“As the court recognized, the science has shown for years that tow-time limits simply don’t work and turtle excluder devices do,” said Earthjustice attorney Rumela Roy. “But the agency’s rule covers only a fraction of skimmer trawls. More protections are needed to rescue endangered and threatened sea turtles in the Gulf.”

Background

The 2019 rule was the product of a regulatory process stretching back to 1987, when NMFS first required TEDs on larger offshore shrimp trawlers. Skimmer-trawl vessels — used almost exclusively out of Louisiana, with smaller numbers operating from Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, and Florida — were exempted from the TED requirement in 1992 and allowed instead to comply with tow-time restrictions.

After a 2012 spike in sea turtle strandings in the Gulf, NMFS proposed eliminating the tow-time alternative altogether and replacing it with TED requirements, but withdrew that proposal in 2013 after discovering flaws in existing TED designs. Following years of additional testing and a 2016 proposed rule, NMFS finalized a narrower version in 2019, applying the TED requirement only to skimmer-trawl vessels 40 feet and longer. That restriction reduced the number of affected vessels by roughly 82% compared to the original 2016 proposal, while still projecting a conservation benefit of 801 to 1,168 sea turtles annually across the southeastern U.S. shrimp fisheries.

This ruling is the third time a federal court has weighed in on the 2019 rule. The Fifth Circuit previously dismissed a separate challenge from the State of Louisiana for lack of standing, and the D.C. Circuit upheld the rule against a 2024 challenge from environmental groups arguing it was not protective enough.

To learn more about Turtle Island Restoration Network, visit https://seaturtles.org.

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.8 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.

Earthjustice, the nation’s premier nonprofit environmental law organization, wields the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change. Because the earth needs a good lawyer.

Written by Dinah Sandoval and GIS maps and illustrations by Alex Novoa.

Imagine opening an interactive map and watching it populate with individual trees, to a grove and as the years go by, into a mighty forest.  

You can also explore the places where restoration is happening, learn about the people and organizations making this effort possible, and see how individual actions become part of a larger movement to restore redwood ecosystems.

Over time, this map becomes more than a collection of locations and data points. It becomes a living story of restoration: the partnerships formed, the communities engaged, the landscapes protected, and the trees growing stronger year after year.

This is the vision behind the Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping efforts of the 10,000 Redwoods (10kRW) Program, a program of Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN). Through interactive maps, images, and data, we aim to transform information into an engaging learning experience that helps people build a deeper connection to place and understand the impact of restoration over time.

Our mapping approach serves three purposes:

• Creating an interactive learning experience that allows people to explore restoration efforts and develop a deeper connection to the landscapes we are working to protect.
• Establishing a baseline through Geographic Information System (GIS) maps that document current conditions and help illustrate changes over time.
• Tracking program progress by visualizing tree plantings, partnerships, restoration sites, and other key data points.

While storytelling for the 10,000 Redwoods Program extends beyond GIS, we are using four core maps to help tell this evolving story:

• Historical Redwood Planting Sites
• Partnership Development Map
• Seed Collection Sites
• Land Protection Map (TIRN properties)

Identifying Restoration Opportunities

The map below highlights a portion of the 30 acres of land stewarded and protected by TIRN. It includes two parcels: Parcel A, a residential area with two existing redwoods and additional space for future planting, and Parcel B, an area currently covered by trees and brush.

Parcel A’s proximity to San Geronimo Creek, a tributary within the Lagunitas Creek watershed, creates an opportunity to advance both redwood restoration and watershed health. The site’s consistent moisture availability, protection from strong winds due to the surrounding hills, and frequent summer fog create favorable conditions for coast redwood establishment and long-term growth.

Planting redwoods near San Geronimo Creek also advances another major focus of Turtle Island Restoration Network’s work: protecting and restoring habitat for Coho salmon. Healthy riparian forests play an essential role in watershed function by stabilizing streambanks, reducing erosion, improving water quality, and creating conditions that support resilient aquatic ecosystems.

Through their extensive root systems, redwoods help slow and absorb rainfall, allowing water to gradually move through forest soils and into surrounding ecosystems. Over time, these functions contribute to healthier watersheds and improved habitat conditions for native species, including Coho salmon.

The GIS map helps us identify restoration opportunities by showing not only where redwoods currently exist, but where additional trees can be planted. Parcel A demonstrates the potential for expanding redwood habitat, as shown in the images below.

The image above pinpoints where five additional trees can be planted separated by 20 feet.

Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change Through Redwood Restoration

Coast redwoods are extraordinary carbon sinks, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and storing it within their trunks, branches, roots, and surrounding soils. Their immense size, longevity, and ability to accumulate biomass allow them to store carbon for generations, making them one of nature’s most powerful tools for addressing climate change.

Potter, Christopher. (2012). Net primary production and carbon cycling in coast redwood forests of central California. Open Journal of Ecology. 02. 147-153. 10.4236/oje.2012.23018.

However, the value of redwoods extends far beyond carbon storage. When we plant and protect redwoods,  we participate in a relationship of reciprocity—restoring forests that provide cleaner air, healthier watersheds, habitat for wildlife, and resilience for future generations.

In return for the many benefits ecosystems provide us, restoration offers an opportunity to give back by helping these forests thrive for centuries to come.

Measuring Our Impact Over Time

Through GIS mapping and additional data collection, our goal is to measure the impact of the 10,000 Redwoods Program over time. This includes estimating the carbon currently captured by redwoods protected on TIRN properties, as well as tracking the additional carbon storage and ecological benefits created as new trees are planted.

As the program grows, these maps will allow us to visualize restoration in action—from the first seed collected to the planting of thousands of redwoods across the landscape.

If you want to hear more about the 10,000 Redwoods Program, please reach out to Dinah Sandoval at dssandoval@tirn.net.
To support this work, you can donate directly through: https://seaturtles.org/campaigns/plant-10000-redwoods/

For Immediate Release, August 17, 2026
Contacts: Ken Bouley, Executive Director, kbouley@seaturtles.org
Laurel Irvine, Communications Manager, lirvine@seaturtles.org 

Drakes Estero Could Be the First Step in Returning Sea Otters to Northern California

New report explores the case for reintroducing southern sea otters to Point Reyes National Seashore

POINT REYES, CALIFORNIA — Point Reyes National Seashore has the potential to enter a new era of ecological restoration. A newly released report from Turtle Island Restoration Network explores what it could look like to bring one of California’s most iconic marine mammals back to its historic range.

Following our recent report, “Review of Seven Mammalian Species for Potential Reintroduction to Point Reyes National Seashore,” our newest position paper, “Drakes Estero, the First Stepping Stone: An Estuary-Based Strategy for Southern Sea Otter Reintroduction to Northern California,” takes a closer look at one species in particular: the southern sea otter.

Once found abundantly along much of California’s coast, southern sea otters have been absent from large portions of their historic range generations. Their return to Northern California could represent a significant step toward restoring an important native species and the ecological processes it helps support for thriving ecosystems, rippling into the Pacific Ocean.

This report makes the case that Drakes Estero could provide an ideal first stepping stone for that restoration. Located within Point Reyes National Seashore, Drakes Estero is a sheltered estuarine environment with several characteristics that distinguish it from more exposed coastal habitats. Its relatively protected waters, limited boat traffic and lower exposure to predators could provide important advantages for establishing a new population of southern sea otters.

“Southern sea otters have been threatened since 1977 and their recovery is stalled, and yet there has been no reintroduction effort for almost 40 years,” explains Ken Bouley, Executive Director. “Drakes Estero offers the perfect opportunity to act on law and policy and avoid extinction, which is forever. Let’s hope the relevant agencies and environmental community finally act to save this species.”

But the opportunity extends beyond simply bringing the otters back. Sea otters are a keystone species whose presence can influence entire coastal ecosystems. By feeding on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins and crabs, they help regulate food webs and can support the health of kelp forests and eelgrass ecosystems. Restoring sea otters, therefore, has the potential to restore ecological relationships that have been missing from Northern California waters for decades.

Rather than proposing that reintroduction happen overnight, the position paper lays out a pathway forward grounded in science, careful evaluation, collaboration and long-term stewardship. Any future reintroduction would require rigorous scientific assessment, regulatory review, monitoring and engagement with the many communities connected to Point Reyes National Seashore and its surrounding waters.

Point Reyes has already demonstrated that seemingly ambitious conservation efforts can succeed. The reintroduction of tule elk in the late 1970s transformed the landscape and became one of California’s great wildlife restoration stories. Today, as thousands of acres of the Seashore enter a new era of ecological restoration, we have an opportunity to think just as boldly about the waters surrounding this extraordinary landscape.

The goal is not simply to bring back a beloved species, it is to restore the ecological relationships that make healthy coastal ecosystems possible, and to imagine what Point Reyes could become when we give nature the opportunity to heal and thrive.

To learn more about Turtle Island Restoration Network and this report, visit https://seaturtles.org/reports. 

Turtle Island Restoration Network is a global ocean conservation nonprofit with offices in California and Texas, whose mission is to inspire and mobilize people around the world to protect marine biodiversity, the oceans and watersheds that sustain all life on Earth.

August is National Make-A-Will Month, a time dedicated to encouraging individuals and families to take an important step toward securing their future: creating or updating a will. According to a caring.com study, only 24% of American adults report having a living will. 

While it may not be the most exciting item on a to-do list, having a will is one of the most meaningful gifts you can leave for the people and causes you care about. A will provides clear instructions for how your assets should be distributed, helps reduce uncertainty for loved ones, and ensures that your wishes are honored. Yet despite its importance, millions of Americans still do not have a will in place.

Many people assume that estate planning is only necessary for those with significant wealth. In reality, anyone who owns property, has financial accounts, has children, or wishes to support specific people or organizations can benefit from having a will. Without one, state laws determine how assets are distributed, which might not reflect your values or intentions.

A will is also an opportunity to think about those values that you want to pass on to future generations. For many nonprofit supporters, charitable giving is an important part of those values. Including a nonprofit organization like Turtle Island Restoration Network in your estate plans is a powerful way to ensure that the causes you care about continue to thrive long after your lifetime. 

Legacy gifts, often called planned gifts, can be structured in many different ways. Some donors choose to leave a specific dollar amount, while others designate a percentage of their estate. Others name a nonprofit as a beneficiary of a retirement account, life insurance policy, or other financial asset. These gifts can be made by individuals of all financial backgrounds, and even a modest bequest can have a significant impact over time.

For Turtle Island Restoration Network, planned gifts are more than future donations. They represent a donor’s enduring commitment to our mission and provide long-term resources that help sustain our programs, expand our capacity to complete hands-on restoration work, and respond to future challenges to environmental protections.

One of Turtle Island Restoration Network’s donors, after years of making annual contributions to environmental conservation efforts, decided to include Turtle Island Restoration Network in his will. He wanted future generations to enjoy healthy ecosystems and thriving wildlife, just as he had throughout his life. His legacy will serve as a reminder that meaningful philanthropy is not measured by the size of a gift, but by the impact it creates. He says “I support your group because one of your goals is to preserve endangered species, such as the leatherback turtle, which might go completely extinct. Plain and simple.”

If you already have a will, National Make-A-Will Month is also an excellent opportunity to review your plans. Major life changes like marriage, divorce, the birth of children or grandchildren, retirement, relocation, or changes in financial circumstances may warrant updates to your estate documents. Experts generally recommend reviewing your will every few years to ensure it continues to reflect your wishes.

Creating a will can provide peace of mind for you and your loved ones while helping preserve the values that matter most to you. It is a simple but powerful act of stewardship—one that protects your family, honors your intentions, and can create lasting benefits for the causes you have supported throughout your life.

This August, consider taking the time to create or update your will. By planning today, you can leave a legacy of care and generosity that can impact our blue-green planet for generations to come. 

This year marks an exciting new chapter for Turtle Island Restoration Network’s (TIRN) 10,000 Redwoods Program. With renewed capacity and a long-term vision, we have an opportunity to build on the program’s foundation while expanding its impact across Marin County and beyond.

At its heart, the 10,000 Redwoods Program uses redwood restoration as a catalyst for strengthening watersheds, addressing the climate crisis, and reconnecting people with the natural world. By restoring redwood ecosystems, we are not only planting trees—we are restoring relationships: between forests and watersheds, people and place, science and storytelling, and present communities and future generations.

Our work is guided by four interconnected pillars.

Supporting Healthy Watersheds

Redwoods are a cornerstone species within healthy riparian ecosystems. Through strategic planting in areas where historical evidence and ecological data indicate redwoods were once part of the landscape, we aim to support watershed restoration and resilience.

By planting redwoods in appropriate locations, including along creeks and within the Lagunitas Creek watershed, we can help stabilize streambanks, reduce erosion, improve water quality, and contribute to habitat conditions that support native species such as Coho salmon.

Building Climate Resilience

Coast redwoods are among the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it within their trunks, branches, roots, and surrounding soils. Their immense size, longevity, and ability to accumulate biomass allow them to store carbon for generations, making them one of nature’s most powerful tools for addressing climate change.

Through local seed collection, propagation, and strategic planting, we aim to restore redwoods to landscapes where they historically thrived while also supporting community members and landowners who want to plant redwoods on their own properties. Whether planted in a restoration area or a backyard, every tree represents a tangible act of hope and an opportunity for individuals to contribute to climate resilience.

Cultivating Stewardship Through Reciprocity

Long-term conservation depends on more than healthy forests—it depends on meaningful relationships between people and the natural world. The 10,000 Redwoods Program invites people to participate in restoration as an act of reciprocity: caring for the ecosystems that sustain us.

Through volunteer opportunities, educational partnerships, and community engagement, we hope to help people deepen their connection to the environment and recognize their role as stewards of the places they call home.

Sharing the Story Through Data and Learning

Restoration is a journey that unfolds over decades. Through Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, photography, storytelling, and data collection, we are documenting that journey so our community can witness restoration in action.

By establishing baselines and tracking progress over time, we hope to transform data into an interactive learning experience—helping people understand where restoration is happening, how ecosystems are changing, and the collective impact of their participation.

Our mapping efforts will help us identify restoration opportunities, document historical and current planting sites, track partnerships, and communicate the ecological benefits of the work over time.

Looking Ahead

This first year is focused on building the foundation needed for long-term success. Our priorities include collecting locally sourced redwood seeds, expanding propagation efforts, identifying restoration opportunities, developing partnerships, and creating the systems needed to measure and communicate our impact.

Already, we are excited by the momentum building around the program. We have welcomed thought partners and critical friends, including Mia Monroe, Ben Anderson, and Matthew Ricards, who are helping strengthen the program through their expertise and perspectives.

We are also developing promising partnerships with organizations such as Forest Unlimited, Rancho Compasión, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and local schools. These collaborations reflect the diverse community needed to make restoration possible, from land stewards and educators to conservation practitioners and community members.

Our interns are also helping advance the program through GIS mapping, storytelling, and data collection, creating tools that will allow us to document this restoration journey and share it with the wider community.

As the 10,000 Redwoods Program continues to grow, so too does the community behind it. Whether through collecting seeds, planting trees, sharing knowledge, or supporting our work, every contribution helps restore not only redwood forests but also our relationship with the natural world. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.

For Immediate Release, August 12, 2026
Contacts: Joanie Steinhaus, Ocean Program Director, joanie@seaturtles.org
Jackson Chiappinelli, Earthjustice, jchiappinelli@earthjustice.org
Alex Horn, Healthy Gulf, alex@healthygulf.org 

Trump Administration Holds Latest Giveaway of Gulf Waters to Oil Industry, First Since “God Squad” Decision

Gulf and environmental groups respond to oil auction that threatens region 

NEW ORLEANS — The Trump administration held its latest mass sell-off of public waters in the Gulf of Mexico, expanding access for an oil-and-gas industry already pulling in windfall profits on the backs of American taxpayers. The sale — the third of 30 scheduled through 2040 as mandated by last year’s Trump-Republican tax and spending law — was the first since the administration illegally exempted certain offshore oil-and-gas activities in the Gulf from needing to comply with the Endangered Species Act.

The sale could lead to drilling activities that harm numerous species, like whales, sea turtles, fish, rays, corals, and birds, especially now that the White House has torn down basic guardrails protecting Gulf marine life. For example, the administration received bids for leases in the Gulf that directly impact critically endangered Rice’s whale territory. 

This massive oil-and-gas auction of all available Gulf waters could also contribute to the negative impacts already being felt by Gulf communities, ecosystems, and the region’s economic vitality as a result of ongoing oil-and-gas activities, as BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster did. Yet the sale was the third straight in which the Trump administration cut out the public — including Gulf communities, fishermen and shrimpers, and businesses — from having any input even though Congress did not give the White House the authority to do so. 

The sale reflects the industry’s continued push into deeper and riskier Gulf waters, where they seek to exploit a new era of ultra-deepwater drilling. In March, the Trump administration approved one of the first such projects: BP’s Kaskida, which will be the U.K.-based company’s first completely new oilfield in the Gulf since its Deepwater Horizon catastrophe in 2010. Gulf groups challenged Kaskida’s approval, citing significant shortcomings with BP’s proposal, which failed to meet U.S. regulatory standards. But BP is already awaiting the approval of yet another project called Tiber.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has consolidated two federal agencies — one responsible for safety regulations, and another for approving offshore drilling projects — that were deliberately separated following Deepwater Horizon. This new, single agency could enable the same pattern of regulators compromising safety requirements that helped lead to the worst oil spill in U.S. history. (And it’s headed by a former oil lobbyist.)

Gulf and environmental groups responded to the Trump administration’s latest sale of public waters to the oil-and-gas industry:

“The selling off of our Gulf waters for the benefit of oil and gas companies is needlessly taking place yet again today,” said Martha Collins, Executive Director of Healthy Gulf. “Our Gulf communities already carry the burden of abandoned oil wells, spills leaking into our waters, and the increased chances of another disaster – this auction, number 3 of 30, perpetuates the legacy of neglect burdened upon the Gulf South by the oil industry. Our waters, wildlife, and ways of life in the Gulf will only continue to be threatened by these reckless sales of public waters.”

“The Trump Administration continues to show that they prioritize profit over people and the planet,” said Joanie Steinhaus, Oceans Program Director at Turtle Island Restoration Network. “The Gulf of Mexico has been sacrificed to the oil and gas industry for decades and we still have the scars to prove it. This lease sale could push Rice’s whales even closer to extinction. We cannot allow vulnerable ecosystems and frontline communities in the Gulf to continue to be destroyed for the sake of profit.”

“We’re at a point where we should be moving away from fossil fuels, not enabling an astounding amount of drilling for more than a generation to come,” said Kristen Schlemmer, Co-Executive Director for Bayou City Waterkeeper in Houston, Texas. “For communities in Houston and along the Texas Gulf coast, this administration is creating an especially toxic combination of risks. More drilling means more facilities in our backyards. Enabling more drilling for more than a generation will compound already elevated rates of cancer and heart and lung diseases, while also increasing risks during major storms.” 

“The Trump administration is forcing yet another massive oil auction on the Gulf after gutting key protections for endangered marine life and shutting the public out of the process,” said Earthjustice senior attorney George Torgun. “Our public waters cannot keep being sold off to the oil industry, especially as the Trump administration rips down the guardrails protecting us from disasters like Deepwater Horizon. The Gulf must be managed in ways that benefit people, ecosystems and wildlife, not sold to the highest bidder.”

“The Trump administration’s latest giveaway of public Gulf waters puts oil industry profits ahead of the health of oceans,  coastal communities, and wildlife. Opening even more of the Gulf to risky offshore drilling while dismantling Endangered Species Act protections and silencing public participation is a dangerous step backward. We cannot ignore the lessons of Deepwater Horizon,” states Mary Gutierrez, Director of Florida-based Earth Ethics. ” Expanding drilling into deeper waters, weakening safety oversight, and threatening critically endangered species like the Rice’s whale only increases the risk of another environmental catastrophe. Public waters belong to the American people—not to the highest bidder—and they must be managed with responsibility, transparency, and respect for future generations.” 

“Yet again, our ocean waters are being auctioned off to the highest bidder, at a time when this administration has recklessly decided to exempt certain Gulf oil and gas operations from Endangered Species Act protections,” said Julia Forgie, senior attorney at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “Gulf communities are being forced to shoulder the risks while Big Oil reaps the rewards. This lease sale is another unacceptable giveaway that threatens wildlife, coastal economies, and the livelihoods of the people who depend on a healthy Gulf.”

“Once again, we’re seeing that this administration has no regard for the coastal communities along the Gulf who will be forced to live through the inevitable consequences of an oil industry free-for-all,” said Endangered Species Coalition Marine Life Coordinator Tommy Tucker. “From the degradation of habitat that wildlife and humans alike rely on to the increased risk of another massive oil spill, this sell-off of ocean waters that had been protected for the use of the public for the sake of industry is outright disrespectful.”

“These lease sales were a bad idea last year, and they are still a bad idea today,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon. “A lease sale is the first step toward an oil spill catastrophe. This latest offshore drilling lease was mandated by Congress in the worst environmental bill in American history, and it will recklessly open millions of acres of our ocean to drilling and spilling. We need to protect our coasts, not destroy them.”

​“I often question if the Trump administration has realized that they don’t just reap the good that comes from the Gulf: the profit, the oil, the land,” says Coastal Botanist Aloe Lee with The Surfrider Foundation Louisiana. The bad –  the oil spills destroying our fisheries, critical habitats, and disrupting the cycles of migratory wildlife – impacts everyone. The bad – the home insurance rates, poor health from pollution, crippling infrastructure – will rise in every U.S. community that has a sky. That’s simply how vital the Gulf of Mexico is to this country. If you understand that, it should be no surprise that there is no ethical way to continue drilling without interfering with the health of our ocean and people.”

“Every new offshore lease sale locks us further into a failed strategy that sacrifices Gulf communities and wildlife for the benefit of oil companies already making enormous profits,” said Athan Manuel, Director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program. “The Trump administration has weakened environmental safeguards, ignored public input, and continues to hand over public waters to the highest bidder. We should be protecting the Gulf for future generations, not expanding the risks of more drilling and more pollution.”

Header photo credit: Ron Wooten.

Our partners, the TERAVARNA Foundation, are turning creativity into conservation through the power of art.

Every brushstroke can tell a story. Every entry can make a difference.

TERAVARNA Foundation invites artists from around the world to participate in the 14th Animal International Juried Art Competition, hosted by TERAVARNA, celebrating the beauty, diversity, and spirit of the animal kingdom through art. Whether your inspiration comes from majestic wildlife, marine life, birds, or beloved companions, this is your opportunity to showcase your creativity on an international stage.

Create art that leaves a lasting impact — both on hearts and on the planet.

As part of the TERAVARNA Foundation’s Art with Impact initiative, 5% of every competition entry fee will be donated to Turtle Island Restoration Network to support its ongoing efforts to protect wildlife and their habitats.

By entering, you’re not only competing for international recognition and cash awards — you are joining a global movement where creativity fuels conservation.

Today we’ve published a new report from TIRN’s Environmental Advocacy intern,  Savanna Stewart, and board member Dr. Rick Lanman: Drakes Estero, the First Stepping Stone: An Estuary-Based Strategy for Southern Sea Otter Reintroduction to Northern California.

Following on from our earlier report by Dr. Lanman and intern Alexis Evripidou entitled,  “Review of Seven Mammalian Species for Potential Reintroduction to Point Reyes National Seashore,” today’s report takes a deep-dive into the plausibility, issues, and benefits around reintroducing southern sea otters,  who have been federally listed as endangered since 1977, and whose recovery is stalled, to Point Reyes.

The paper surveys a vast amount of published science on the topic and makes the case that Drakes Estero, free of predatory sharks and boat traffic, surrounded by protected waters and situated in designated wilderness,  is the best place to make the next, long-overdue reintroduction.