Minnesotans Sue to Delist Wolves
RangeFire, February 16, 2010 [here]
“Dale Lueck, a north central Minnesota rancher, and Gerald Tyler, a retired real estate developer from Ely, MN, are suing to force the Department of Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to delist wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
“Frustrated with the government’s inability to comply with the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which stipulates that once a species is deemed recovered, it must be delisted, Lueck and Tyler filed notice on Jan. 15 of intent to sue Secretary of Interior Kenneth Salazar and three USFWS officials. The agencies have 60 days to respond to the complaint. Absent a satisfactory response, Lueck and Tyler plan to seek relief in federal court.
“Lueck says the ESA is clear on the matter of delisting and their complaint zeroes in on the fact that the 1992 Eastern Timber Wolf Recovery Plan and ESA recovery criteria for the wolf in the Midwest have been fully met. The plan called for a sustained population of 1,251-1,400 wolves in Minnesota and an additional viable population in Wisconsin and Michigan of at least 100 wolves. Today, about 3,000-3,500 timber wolves exist in Minnesota, with about 1,000 more in Wisconsin and Michigan.
“Lueck says the wolf was delisted and managed by Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan without incident for approximately 18 months in 2007-2008. But in fall 2008, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. sided with the Humane Society of U.S. and placed the Midwest wolves back under ESA protection.
“As a member of the Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Lueck was involved in developing Minnesota’s Wolf Management Plan and getting it passed by the Minnesota Legislature over 10 years ago. Lueck said, ‘It deeply troubles me that as citizens, we are forced to go into court to get our federal government to simply obey the law.’ … [more]