SW Arkansas Times

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has decided not to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone (GYE) and Northern Continental Divide (NCDE) ecosystems, alongside two related proposals. This decision prompted a response from House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.).

"The only reasonable announcement by the USFWS today would have been a total delisting of the grizzly bear in these ecosystems," Westerman stated. He criticized the agency for "blatantly ignoring science" and accused it of "hiding behind bureaucratic red tape." According to him, this decision poses a threat to communities, particularly farmers and ranchers, due to potential grizzly bear attacks. Westerman also noted that the proposed management flexibility is insufficient and overdue. He emphasized that his committee will explore all options to reverse this decision and delist what he referred to as the recovered species.

The USFWS's announcement included three separate actions concerning grizzly bears. Firstly, it denied petitions from Montana and Wyoming to delist the species in GYE and NCDE. Secondly, it proposed creating one distinct population segment (DPS), listing grizzlies as threatened across six recovery zones and surrounding areas covering much of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Bears outside this DPS would be considered delisted. Lastly, an update was proposed for the 4(d) rule to provide more management options for states and private landowners.

This decision follows extensive efforts by Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho over several years to recover grizzly populations in GYE and NCDE successfully. These populations have nearly doubled their recovery goals, with sightings in areas where they hadn't been seen for over a century.

In response to these developments, during the 118th Congress, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed legislation aiming to delist both populations. The committee also advanced reforms to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), intending to clarify definitions, establish an environmental baseline for measuring outcomes under ESA, incentivize recovery of listed species, promote conservation on private and public lands, and enhance transparency in ESA regulations.