RULE PUBLISHED PUTTING WOLF BACK ON 'LIST'
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 -- 10:19 AM
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today published a [url=http://www.fws.gov/midwest/News/release.cfm?rid=118]final rule[/url] in the Federal Register acknowledging that Endangered Species Act protections are reinstated for the gray wolf in the western Great Lakes.They didn?t have a choice.
The court order and settlement agreement effectively restored the protections retroactive to July 1.
You might remember a group of plaintiffs won a lawsuit challenging the Service?s April 2009 rule removing gray wolves from the list. Under the terms of the agreement, the Service will provide an additional opportunity for public comment on any future proposed rule to remove ESA protection for wolves in the western Great Lakes region.
The decision has prevented landowner management of problem wolves in Wisconsin, and other Great Lakes states.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.