Commerce Department Agrees To Designate Critical Habitat For Seals

The transcript discusses efforts to protect bearded and ringed seals in Alaska, which are threatened due to climate change and sea ice loss. Despite being listed as threatened in 2012, the Trump administration had not designated a critical habitat for them, leading to a lawsuit. The administration later pledged to protect the seals' habitat, but also planned to open more land for oil drilling, posing further risks. Legal rulings have upheld endangered species protections, and the administration is required to issue a critical habitat rule by September 2020.

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