Ag group to sue over wolf plan
By MIKE STARK
Of The Gazette Staff
A Wyoming farm group is threatening to sue the federal government over how it has been managing wolves.
Jim Urbigkit, president of the Sublette County Farm Bureau, said Monday that his group and “other interested parties” intend to file a lawsuit within 60 days because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hasn’t done enough in Wyoming to protect livestock operations.
Urbigkit said the agency isn’t following its longstanding plan for wolves, including a provision that allows removal of wolves that kill livestock when there are six or more pairs of wolves in the recovery zone.
“They promised to control wolves preying on livestock and they’re not,” Urbigkit said. “There’s been constant depredation.”
The notice of intent to sue was filed just as the Wyoming Legislature begins its budget session, in which lawmakers are expected to respond to the Interior Department’s rejection of the state’s wolf management plan.
Urbigkit said he was concerned that lawmakers would change the wolf plan to eliminate the predator status for some wolves – which would allow the animals to be killed any time and in any way – and instead list all wolves as trophy animals and subject to tighter regulations.
“What we’d like to do is remind the Wyoming Legislature and all of the agriculture groups and everyone else involved that the federal government has obligations and that they made promises,” he said. “Agriculture can live with the reintroduction if they comply with the preferred alternative.”