GREEN BAY, WI — Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today applauded the Trump Administration’s announcement that it would delist the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act. The announcement, which will allow state and tribal wildlife agencies to resume responsibility for sustainable management of gray wolf populations, was made by U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
“The recovery of the gray wolf population is one of our country’s greatest conservation success stories,” said Rep. Gallagher. “By granting states the authority to manage these populations, today’s announcement is a win for federalism and a win for our Northeast Wisconsin farmers, who have lost millions of dollars in livestock due to gray wolves. Thanks to the Administration, Wisconsin will finally have a say on how best to manage these populations and protect our farmers.”
“Today’s action reflects the Trump Administration’s continued commitment to species conservation based on the parameters of the law and the best scientific and commercial data available,” said Secretary Bernhardt. “After more than 45 years as a listed species, the gray wolf has exceeded all conservation goals for recovery. Today’s announcement simply reflects the determination that this species is neither a threatened nor endangered species based on the specific factors Congress has laid out in the law.”
In total, the gray wolf population in the lower 48 states is more than 6,000 wolves, greatly exceeding the combined recovery goals for the Northern Rocky Mountains and Western Great Lakes populations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue to monitor gray wolf populations for five years to ensure the continued success of the species.
Since coming to Congress, Rep. Gallagher has worked to get the gray wolf delisted from the Endangered Species Act with members of the Wisconsin delegation. Last Congress, he spoke on the House floor urging his colleagues to pass H.R. 6784, the Manage Our Wolves Act. He recently co-sponsored the Manage our Predators Act, introduced by Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), that would permanently remove the gray wolf from the list of federal endangered species.
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