Center for Biological Diversity

Center for Biological Diversity is a nonprofit environmental organization founded in 1989, renowned for its aggressive use of litigation and science to protect endangered species and wildlands across North America and globally. It employs the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and other foundational U.S. environmental laws as primary tools to compel government action on biodiversity loss and climate change. With a staff of scientists, attorneys, and activists, the organization has been instrumental in securing legal protections for hundreds of species and millions of acres of critical habitat.

History and founding

The organization traces its origins to 1989 in the Southwestern United States, where founders Kieran Suckling, Peter Galvin, and Todd Schulke began surveying for the threatened Mexican spotted owl in the Gila National Forest. Their work quickly evolved into a campaign against logging practices by the United States Forest Service, leading to their first major legal victory which halted timber sales to protect the owl. Initially operating as the Greater Gila Biodiversity Project, the group formally incorporated in 1991 and later adopted its current name. Its early focus on the Sky Islands region of Arizona and New Mexico established a model of combining grassroots biological survey work with strategic litigation under powerful statutes like the National Environmental Policy Act.

Mission and legal strategies

The core mission is the protection of endangered species and the wild places they need to survive, with an overarching goal of addressing the extinction crisis and global warming. Its primary legal strategy involves filing lawsuits against federal agencies such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Bureau of Land Management for failing to comply with laws including the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, and the National Forest Management Act. A hallmark tactic is the use of "sue and settle" agreements, negotiating legally binding settlement agreements that mandate timelines for species listings or habitat conservation plan development. The organization also leverages the Freedom of Information Act to obtain government documents and supports its legal arguments with extensive peer-reviewed scientific research.

Key campaigns and impact

Notable campaigns have secured protections for iconic species like the polar bear, which was listed as threatened in 2008 due in part to the organization's petitions and litigation concerning Arctic sea ice loss from climate change. Its "Saving Life on Earth" campaign aims to protect hundreds of additional species, from the rusty patched bumble bee to the red wolf. The organization has also been a lead plaintiff in major lawsuits challenging oil and gas leasing on public lands, offshore drilling permits, and Environmental Protection Agency regulations on greenhouse gas emissions and pesticides. Its work has resulted in the designation of millions of acres of critical habitat for species ranging from the Canada lynx to the loggerhead sea turtle, and it played a pivotal role in the legal defense of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.

Organizational structure and funding

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, the organization maintains additional offices in locations such as Oakland, California, Portland, Oregon, Washington, D.C., and St. Petersburg, Florida. It operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, funded primarily by individual donations and grants from private foundations, including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The board of directors includes scientists and legal experts, while the staff comprises a large team of in-house attorneys, conservation advocates, and communications specialists. Its activities are distinct from but sometimes coordinated with other major environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council.

Criticism and controversies

The organization has faced criticism from industry groups, some politicians, and legal scholars for its prolific litigation. Opponents, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, argue its lawsuits place undue economic burdens on industries like agriculture, mining, and energy development, and create regulatory uncertainty. Some within the conservation movement have occasionally questioned the tactical focus on single-species litigation over broader ecosystem-based management approaches. Its petitions and lawsuits have also been at the center of political debates over potential reforms to the Endangered Species Act, with critics in Congress and administrations like those of George W. Bush and Donald Trump seeking to limit "citizen suit" provisions the organization frequently uses.

Category:Environmental organizations based in the United States Category:Organizations established in 1989