Ben Levitan

Ben Levitan, Senior Attorney

Bar Admissions

DC, NY

Pronouns

he / him

Ben Levitan

Perry Wheeler
Public Affairs and Communications Strategist
pwheeler@earthjustice.org

Ben Levitan is a senior attorney in Earthjustice’s Biodiversity Defense Program, where he advocates to protect imperiled species and ecosystems.

His portfolio includes maintaining legal safeguards under the Endangered Species Act, restoring irreplaceable habitat for migratory shorebirds at Delaware Bay, and conserving mature and old-growth forests on federal lands nationwide.

Prior to joining Earthjustice in 2021, Ben was an attorney at Environmental Defense Fund, where he advocated for stronger limits on health- and climate-harming air pollution from the power sector. Before that, he held a fellowship with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

Expert Posts & Articles

A horseshoe crab in the Delaware Bay near Fortescue, New Jersey, on May 23, 2022.
July 29, 2024

A Pathway to End the Medical Harvest of Horseshoe Crabs

The biomedical industry harvests massive quantities of horseshoe crabs every year, threatening a number of migratory birds that rely on the crabs as a food source. But synthetic alternatives are becoming available.

Perry Wheeler
Public Affairs and Communications Strategist
pwheeler@earthjustice.org

Bar Admissions

DC, NY

Pronouns

he / him

Quoted in the News

July 23, 2026

WHRO

Habitat for endangered species in Virginia will no longer be federally protected

“There’s no way to prevent a species from going extinct if it doesn’t have a place to live.”
July 16, 2026

Democracy Now!

Earthjustice Sues to Block Trump’s Move to Gut Endangered Species Act

“Habitat destruction is the biggest driver of extinction.”
January 8, 2026

The East Hampton Star

LaLota a Critical ‘No’ on Wolf Protections

“This attack is not just about the harm it would bring to wildlife and ecosystems; it’s also a threat from the Trump administration to violate the law and ignore the popular will in order to serve well-connected special interests.”
November 11, 2022

WHYY

The Delaware Bay’s female horseshoe crabs spared from commercial harvesting for another year

“The public spoke resoundingly in favor of protecting this ecosystem and the incredible relationship between horseshoe crabs and red knots. And the commission appropriately acknowledged how important the horseshoe crabs are to the public.”

Latest Press Statements

September 17, 2026

Earthjustice Responds to Radical New Trump Administration Memo that Sanctions Killing of Endangered Species

New internal memo subverts the law by making it OK to kill endangered species — as long as it wasn’t intentional
Snowcapped mountains in the background. Green forest in the foreground with bodies of water.
June 5, 2026

Lawsuit: Admin Manufactured “Emergency” to Sidestep Endangered Species Requirements for Flathead Timber Project

West Reservoir project could harm ESA-listed grizzly bears and bull trout
Snowcapped mountains in the background. Green forest in the foreground with bodies of water.
March 24, 2026

Groups Intend to Sue Trump Administration Over Flathead National Forest Timber Project

60-day notice states recently-approved West Reservoir Project could harm grizzly bears and bull trout
A bald eagle lands in the snow at the edge of the Chilkat River, near Haines, Alaska.
December 22, 2025

Hundreds of Thousands of Americans Oppose Trump Administration Effort to Roll Back Protections for Imperiled Species

Trump agencies proposed weakening Endangered Species Act rules
A horseshoe crab in the Delaware Bay near Fortescue, New Jersey, on May 23, 2022.
October 28, 2025

Fisheries Commission Adopts Short-Term Protections for Delaware Bay Ecosystem

Commission misses opportunity to set longer protections for female horseshoe crabs