Conservation Groups to Sue Over Wolf Delisting
Earthjustice Press Release, 2009-03-09 [here]
… Conservation groups, represented by Earthjustice, will send the Fish and Wildlife Service a notice that the delisting violates the Endangered Species Act when the government formally submits the rule to the Federal Register, presumably next week. If the agency does not reconsider the delisting rule, the conservation groups will again ask a federal court to reinstate federal Endangered Species Act protections for wolves in the northern Rockies until wolf numbers are stronger and the states pledge to responsibly manage wolves.
Earthjustice represented Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, The Humane Society of the United States, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Friends of the Clearwater, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wildlands Project, Western Watersheds Project, Wildlands Project, and Hells Canyon Preservation Council in the earlier suit.
Statements of Conservation Organizations
Suzanne Stone, northern Rockies representative for Defenders of Wildlife: “Nothing about this rule has changed since it was rejected and deemed unlawful in federal court. It still fails to adequately address biological concerns about the lack of genetic exchange among wolf populations and it still fails to address the concerns with the states’ wolf management plans. …
Sierra Club representative Melanie Stein: … “Wolves don’t know political boundaries.” …
Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity: “It is disappointing that the Obama administration is choosing to follow… piecemeal wolf conservation efforts instead of prioritizing the development of a national wolf recovery plan. Setting up a system in which wolves in a population are both endangered and not endangered was not contemplated and is not supported by the Endangered Species Act.”
Jonathan Lovvorn, vice president and chief counsel for animal protection litigation with The Humane Society of the United States: “We are disappointed the new administration has missed this opportunity to change course.” …
Michael Garrity, executive director of the Helena-based Alliance for the Wild Rockies: “We are disappointed in this decision since Idaho, Wyoming and Montana stand ready to implement management schemes that have the primary purpose of eliminating, rather than conserving, wolves.” …
Doug Heiken, Oregon Wild: “Oregon has a lot of wild forests that provide high quality wolf habitat, but it’s mostly unoccupied. Secretary Salazar’s decision is a big set-back for wolf recovery efforts in Oregon because true recovery in Oregon will depend on healthy wolf populations across the northern Rockies.”
Dan Kruse of the Cascadia Wildlands Project: “This decision is a terrible blow to Oregon’s fledgling wolf population, which is so dependent upon the migration of wolves from the northern Rockies.” …
Jon Marvel of Western Watersheds Project: “This shameful ruling will result in the killing of hundreds of wolves just to benefit ranchers.” …
Jennifer Schwartz, Hells Canyon Preservation Council: … “The delisting rule amounts to a very disheartening setback for our organization and its many members who welcome the return of wolves in Oregon.” …
Earthjustice Attorney Jenny Harbine: … “By delisting wolves, the federal government is handing Idaho and Montana a loaded gun.” …
Contact:
Jenny Harbine, Earthjustice, (406) 586-9699
Suzanne Asha Stone, Defenders of Wildlife, (208) 861-4655
Louisa Willcox, Natural Resources Defense Council, (406) 222-9561
Melanie Stein, Sierra Club, (307) 733-4557
Michael Robinson, Center for Biological Diversity, (575) 313-7017
