FWS Proposes to Delist the Gray Wolf
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is proposing to delist biologically recovered gray wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes and the Northern Rocky Mountains.
The Department of the Interior (DOI) U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced May 4 a proposal to delist biologically recovered gray wolf populations in the Western Great Lakes, and, in a move to implement recently enacted legislation, to reinstate the Service's 2009 decision to delist biologically recovered gray wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife.
FWS published a final rule that reinstates the terms of a 2009 rule removing gray wolves from listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in a portion of the Northern Rocky Mountains Distinct Population Segment (DPS) that encompasses Idaho, Montana and parts of Oregon, Washington and Utah. Gray wolves will remain listed under the ESA in Wyoming, although the Service is working closely with that state to develop a wolf management plan that would allow wolves in Wyoming to be removed from the list in the future.
The Service and the states will monitor wolf populations in the Northern Rocky Mountains DPS and gather population data for at least five years as part of ESA's post-delisting monitoring plan requirement. A post-delisting monitoring plan for the area was previously approved by the Service.
The Service also published a proposed rule to remove gray wolves from the list of endangered and threatened species in the Western Great Lakes area that includes Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, along with portions of adjoining states, because wolves have recovered in the area and no longer require the protection of the ESA.
As part of the proposed rule, the Service would revise the range of the gray wolf (the species Canis lupus) by removing all or parts of 29 eastern states due to newer taxonomic information indicating that the gray wolf did not historically occur in those states.
The Service is also initiating status reviews of gray wolves in the Pacific Northwest and Southwest to determine the appropriate entity and listing status of that entity in those areas, as well as seeking information of a newly-recognized species, the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon), throughout its range in the United States and Canada. The Service is seeking public comment as part of this process.
The proposed rule to remove wolves in the Western Great Lakes from the ESA, as well as the final rule reinstating the 2009 final delisting rule for the Northern Rocky Mountain DPS as directed by the 2011 Full-Year Appropriations Act was published in the Federal Register May 5, 2011.
The final rule for wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain DPS was effective immediately upon publication.
Written comments on the proposed rule for wolves in the Western Great Lakes may be submitted by one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments to Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029].
- U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. [FWS-R3-ES-2011-0029]; Division of Policy and Directives Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM; Arlington, VA 22203.
Comments must be received within 60 days, on or before July 5, 2011. The Service will post all comments on www.regulations.gov. This generally means the agency will post any personal information provided through the process. The Service is not able to accept email or faxes.
A public hearing for the proposed removal of wolves in the Western Great Lakes and proposed removal of eastern states from the gray wolf listing was to take place May 18 in Ashland, Wis. Another public hearing for the proposed removal is scheduled for June 8 in Augusta, Me.
Following the close of the comment period, the Service will consider all new information and other data and make a final decision on the proposal to remove the Western Great Lakes DPS of wolves from the ESA and revise the range of the gray wolf in the eastern United States.
In the meantime, gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes area will remain classified as endangered, except in Minnesota where they will remain threatened. Gray wolves will also remain classified as endangered in the western United States, except where delisted in the Northern Rocky Mountain DPS in accordance with Congressional action and where found in experimental populations, until status reviews and rulemaking processes are completed.
Editors Note: This article adapted from an FWS release.
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