Third Gray Wolf Delisting Bill Introduced in House

Last week, Washington State Representative Dan Newhouse introduced the Pacific Northwest Gray Wolf Management Act (H.R. 1985), which would remove Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection for the gray wolf (Canis lupus) within Washington, Oregon, and Utah.  H.R. 1985 is the third bill  introduced in the 114th Congress (2015-2016) proposing to delist the gray wolf within specified states.  H.R. 843 and H.R. 884, introduced in February, would effectively delist gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan and in the Western Great Lakes region and Wyoming, respectively.  While H.R. 884 does not define the span of the "Western Great Lakes region," the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has defined the region to include Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Red Lake Reservation.

In 1987, the Service classified the gray wolf as endangered throughout the contiguous United States except in Minnesota, where the Service classified the gray wolf as threatened.  Whereas prior agency efforts to delist the gray wolf in the Great Lakes Region have failed, legislation removing ESA protection for gray wolves has been upheld in federal court.

 

  • Liz  Klebaner
    Partner

    Liz Klebaner advises private and public agency clients on a variety of complex land use and environmental matters, including California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, California Coastal Act ...

Nossaman’s Endangered Species Law & Policy blog focuses on news, events, and policies affecting endangered species issues in California and throughout the United States. Topics include listing and critical habitat decisions, conservation and recovery planning, inter-agency consultation, and related developments in law, policy, and science. We also inform readers about regulatory and legislative developments, as well as key court decisions.

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