Counties discuss possible wolf lawsuit
CODY, Wyo. (AP) — Some county commissioners are talking about filing a lawsuit over wolf management if the state doesn’t.
The state is threatening to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its rejection of Wyoming’s plan for managing wolves after their removal from Endangered Species Act protection.
The agency has accepted plans submitted by Idaho and Montana, but rejecting Wyoming’s plan means wolves won’t be de-listed any time soon.
“We have the science on our side,” Park County Commission Chairman Tim Morrison said Tuesday in a joint meeting of Park and Carbon County, Mont., commissioners Tuesday.
“The only thing we don’t have on our side is wide-ranging political support. And the right judge won’t care about politics.”
Carbon County Commissioner John Prinkki asked if other Wyoming counties would support a petition to remove wolves from federal protection and file suit if the petition were ignored.
“I am certain you’ll find agreement throughout Big Horn Basin counties,” Morrison said. “In fact, every county commission in Wyoming should get involved. The whole state is the recovery area for these wolves.”
Prinkki said several Montana counties would be supportive.