The ag industry is reacting to newly proposed rules from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services for grizzly bear recovery efforts.
The proposed rule would establish a distinct population segment covering parts of Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming. That means grizzly bears in those areas will maintain their threatened status under the Endangered Species Act.
Bears outside the area would lose those protections.
The agency argues the revisions will allow for greater management flexibility, but livestock producers are not so sure.
Garrett Edmonds with NCBA says, “This proposed rule and rejected delisting petitions do nothing other than move the goal posts for species recovery and deny sound science... It is disappointing to see the Fish and Wildlife Service create distinct population segments that spans four states, millions of acres, and multiple areas where the science already shows that grizzly bears have recovered.”
Edmonds says that if passed, this rule would make it harder for the recovered species to be delisted in the future.
Grizzly bears have been listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1975.
More than 1,100 residents and farmers have signed a letter urging Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins to step in, saying the proposal threatens irrigation supplies and long-term farm viability in the region.
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