Congress Wades Into Controversial Decision about ‘Endangered’ Wolves

Gray Wolf photo by Corel CorporationWolves returned to the Endangered Species list in a controversial ruling by a federal judge may get some help if a group in Congress has its way.

Led by U.S. Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis., the group is circulating a draft proposal now to try to finalize wording before submitting a bill that would take the gray wolves off the endangered list in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Wyoming. That would return management of the wolves to state wildlife agencies instead of the federal government.

Joining Ribble are co-sponsors U.S. Reps. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., Dan Benishek, R-Mich., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.

“I am pursuing a bipartisan legislative fix that will allow the Great Lakes states to continue the effective work they are doing in managing wolf populations without tying the hands of the Fish and Wildlife Service or undermining the Endangered Species Act,” Ribble said in a statement.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled in December 2014 that the wolves should be returned to the endangered list in Wisconsin and Michigan and as threatened in Minnesota. State wildlife agencies had been managing the wolves through limited hunting seasons after they were delisted by the federal government. However, anti-hunters and “rights” activists among others pressured for the change and sued, ultimately succeeding in getting the judge to ignore biology and put the animals back on the list.

“The language we are looking at would be narrow and would address the recent court decision. It would not seek to change the Endangered Species Act, but would be designed to meet the need in our region for responsible stewardship of the wolf population,” Benishek said in a statement.

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