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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">Hi everyone,</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Xerces is working with Sen. Jeff Merkley, Rep. Salud Carbajal, and Rep. Jimmy Panetta, to ensure that monarchs get the conservation attention they need to avoid the loss of this incredible migration. </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">You can read the letter here: <a href="https://carbajal.house.gov/uploadedfiles/21.02.04_usfws_monarch_letter_final_-_signed.pdf" target="_blank">https://carbajal.house.gov/uploadedfiles/21.02.04_usfws_monarch_letter_final_-_signed.pdf</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">###</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">From a press release from Rep. Salud Carbajal:</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Washington, D.C., February 4, 2021 – Today, Rep. Salud Carbajal, Rep. Jimmy Panetta, and Sen. Jeff Merkley wrote to the Principal Deputy Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expressing concern with the recent decision to forego listing the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act and urging substantial investments in monarch conservation efforts so this crucial pollinator does not go extinct before protections are in place.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">On December 17, 2020 the Service announced that listing the monarch as endangered or threatened was warranted but was precluded by higher priority species. This decision effectively puts the monarch butterfly on a waiting list but denies the species immediate protection. Some species have been on the waiting list for decades and, in fact, 47 species have gone extinct while waiting for their protection to be finalized.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">“If the monarch’s precipitous decline continues, the Service must make prompt use of its emergency listing procedure to ensure its survival,” the lawmakers wrote. “To ensure the monarch does not become the 48th species to go extinct while on the candidate list, we urge the Service to make substantial investments in bold conservation actions that not only prevent the butterfly from further decline but also ensure long-term population stability.”</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">###</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Thank you to everyone who is working hard to support recovery of the monarch butterfly!</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Matthew</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">----------</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Matthew Shepherd</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Director of Communications & Outreach</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">he/him/his</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><img border="0" width="160" height="60" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D6FBB0.82C3E360" alt="Email-Outlook_Xerces-logo-CMYK"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Protecting the Life That Sustains Us</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">Connect @xercessociety on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/xercessociety/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Facebook</span></a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/xercessociety" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Twitter</span></a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/xercessociety/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">Instagram</span></a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">Visit <a href="https://xerces.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">xerces.org</span></a> to read our <a href="https://xerces.org/blog" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">blog</span></a>, sign up for our <a href="https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001HTk7N6nZumLPinBr8VACbNdTXCe732bGu6KpqC13JAKPti_HBe5xyr7t0p4mDfKe2dOsd-TB1qvv772s6GQfVa_SbKKfwBiwl4blH4KvCjq4dpmA2M9UNZ2axlQwu_1Gvjrl2Rb53WUZwsddwCzyorgxedLAaMy3" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">e-newsletter</span></a>, and learn what you can do.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">Watch on <span style="color:#1f497d"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAiPLPJuySOgn6CbjkOxqLQ"><span style="color:blue">YouTube</span></a>.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">Support our work: <a href="https://xerces.org/donate/"><span style="color:blue">Donate</span></a>!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">628 NE Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232, USA</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">Cell: (503) 807-1577</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt">Office: (503) 232-6639 x110</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt"><a href="mailto:matthew.shepherd@xerces.org" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">matthew.shepherd@xerces.org</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>