The Court held oral argument
We are determined to press our case forward and bring the IWCC’s secret work to light.
In November 2017, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke unlawfully outsourced federal conservation policy to the International Wildlife Conservation Council (IWCC), a group of trophy hunting advocates. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has long encouraged the conservation of overseas populations of threatened and endangered species like lions, elephants, and rhinos. To that end, FWS had relied on two now-abandoned advisory committees, containing a diverse array of viewpoints. The creation of the IWCC represents a dramatic break from this longstanding practice. We filed suit on behalf of multiple environmental organizations to stop it.
The IWCC is unlawfully stacked with individuals with personal or financial interests in the killing and importing of “trophies,” and the council has refused to release its records, as required by law. Under federal law, groups convened to advise agencies are subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires advisory committees to maintain balanced membership, protect against inappropriate special interests, and operate transparently. Since its creation, however, the IWCC has only included voices that support weakening the regulation of imports of threatened and endangered animals. Committee members almost exclusively include trophy hunters, donors to the Trump Administration, and firearm manufacturers. Four of the seventeen members even hosted a hunting-themed inaugural ball for President Trump.
We filed suit against Secretary Zinke and the Department of the Interior for violating FACA by creating the IWCC. On behalf of organizations dedicated to scientifically sound and humane wildlife conservation–the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Humane Society, and the Center for Biological Diversity–we alleged that the Council was illegally chartered, unfairly balanced against conservation interests, rife with conflicts of interest, and operating in secret. The complaint asks that the Court declare that the Council’s creation is illegal, appoint conservation interests to the Council, and release all materials prepared for or by the Council. The government has since moved to dismiss the case.
Following oral arguments in June 2019, the Court’s decision on the Trump administration’s attempt to dismiss our case is pending.
November 3, 2017
Secretary Zinke created the deceptively named International Wildlife Conservation Council.
He gave the Council a mission of promoting the benefits of international trophy hunting, and tasked the Council with providing specific recommendations on a number of policy areas essential to the preservation of threatened and endangered species. At the same time, Zinke allowed the charter of the Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking, another advisory council, to lapse.
November 8, 2017
The IWCC was publicly announced and the Department began soliciting nominations for Council membership.
The Department proceeded to reject all nominations from conservation, public interest, or science groups, and instead stacked the Council with friendly political donors, firearm manufacturers, and advocates for trophy hunting, most of whom stand to personally benefit from their work on the Council.
June 19, 2018
The IWCC held its first full meeting.
In direct contravention of FACA, the Council surprised the public by discussing technical and previously undisclosed proposals to facilitate trophy hunting.
August 1, 2018
We filed suit on behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Humane Society of the United States, and Human Society International.
November 14, 2018
The government moved to dismiss our case.
December 7, 2018
We responded to the government’s motion to dismiss.
Our brief explains why courts have jurisdiction to consider violations of FACA, how Defendants’ actions violate the law, and why Plaintiffs are injured by the unlawful Council.
February 8, 2019
The government replied to our response.
June 3, 2019
The Court held oral argument
There is a lot we still don't know about the administration's illegal trophy hunting council because it operates primarily behind closed doors, but we are determined to press our case forward and bring this secret work to light.
In the news
Conservationists sue Interior over trophy hunting council
CNN / August 1, 2018
Controversial hunting panel recruits more to firing line
E&E News / December 13, 2018
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Aman George
Legal Policy DirectorFormer law firm associate working with the policy team to identify high impact legal actions.
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