Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Fischbach (MN-07) co-signed a letter to House Leadership and Appropriations Committee leadership requesting any FY2024 spending package include the delisting the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
"Since gray wolves were first listed under the ESA in 1978, the population has recovered in Minnesota to the point of becoming a menace, particularly in the northern part of our state. Republican and Democrat administrations have both attempted to delist the gray wolf but were challenged with politically motivated lawsuits by extremist organizations hoping to fundraise on keeping the species listed for an eternity," said Rep. Fischbach. “As our letter states, ‘state governments are fully qualified to responsibly manage gray wolf populations and are better able to meet the needs of local communities, ranchers, livestock, and wildlife populations.' We cannot let an activist judge thousands of miles away decide what is best for Minnesota and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the delisting of gray wolves in Appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year 2024."
Background: The gray wolf was first listed under the ESA in 1978 and has long since recovered, exceeding the original federal delisting goals. The International Union for Conservation Nature's (IUCN) Species Survivial Commission Wolf Specialist Group has placed gray wolves in the classification of "least concern" globally for risk of extinction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS), under both Democrat and Republican Administrations, has attempted to delist the gray wolf administratively. These efforts have been blocked, most recently by a judge in northern California in 2022.
"Since gray wolves were first listed under the ESA in 1978, the population has recovered in Minnesota to the point of becoming a menace, particularly in the northern part of our state. Republican and Democrat administrations have both attempted to delist the gray wolf but were challenged with politically motivated lawsuits by extremist organizations hoping to fundraise on keeping the species listed for an eternity," said Rep. Fischbach. “As our letter states, ‘state governments are fully qualified to responsibly manage gray wolf populations and are better able to meet the needs of local communities, ranchers, livestock, and wildlife populations.' We cannot let an activist judge thousands of miles away decide what is best for Minnesota and I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the delisting of gray wolves in Appropriations legislation for Fiscal Year 2024."
Background: The gray wolf was first listed under the ESA in 1978 and has long since recovered, exceeding the original federal delisting goals. The International Union for Conservation Nature's (IUCN) Species Survivial Commission Wolf Specialist Group has placed gray wolves in the classification of "least concern" globally for risk of extinction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS), under both Democrat and Republican Administrations, has attempted to delist the gray wolf administratively. These efforts have been blocked, most recently by a judge in northern California in 2022.
