2 commissioners question wolf plan
Associated Press
LANDER, Wyo. (AP) – Two Fremont County commissioners say they have
reservations about Wyoming’s plan for managing the gray wolf after it is
removed from Endangered Species Act protection.
In a one-page fax sent to the Game and Fish Commission on Dec. 12,
Commission Chairman Scott Luther said he has “grave concerns.”
Commissioner Doug Thompson is worried that wolf management will follow the
same course as the management of grizzly bears after they were removed
from federal protection.
Thompson e-mailed his comments to the state Dec. 12, the deadline for
comments to be submitted. The other two Fremont County commissioners, Tom
Satterfield and Lanny Applegate, did not comment on the state plan.
The main complaint about Wyoming’s management of grizzly bears is the
costs that the state has had to pick up from the federal government.
Montana and Idaho have both developed state plans for managing wolves. Now
that a sufficient population of wolves has been reached in the three
states, the development of Wyoming’s wolf plan is one of the last barriers
for the species to be removed from federal protection.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission is expected to address the issue in
January and February, with adoption of a final plan in February.
Luther and Thompson both told the state that they are standing by a pair
of county resolutions, which called wolves an “unacceptable species.”
“We are informing you that under the Ninth and Tenth amendments of the
U.S. Constitution and Wyoming State Statute 18-2-101(a)(iv) General
Powers, we are exercising our authority to protect the health, safety and
livelihood of our citizens and economy of Fremont County,” Luther wrote.
“In summary, we are opposed to expansion of wolves outside of Yellowstone
National Park and Teton National Park unless they are listed by Wyoming as
predators.”
Commissioners unanimously approved the two resolutions March 12.
“We are expressing our concern to you for the health, safety and
livelihood of our county citizens,” Luther wrote. “We also have grave
concerns as to what this plan will do to Fremont County’s economy if you
allow this plan to move forward.”
Thompson called the delisting of grizzly bears a “tortuous history” and
said it is likely that the delisting of wolves would follow the “same
impossible pattern.”
“Also, the fact that it is impossible for the citizens of our county to
exercise their constitutional rights to protect their lives and property
from an uncontrolled dangerous animal under present and proposed rules
played an important part in our declaration,” Thompson wrote.
“We expect the wolf management plan to recognize and respect this
declaration.”
Thompson said the state needs to get federal legislation passed making the
state wolf management plans immune from legal challenge.
He also said any planning involving Fremont County or surrounding counties
should “include and empower” the affected county commissions.