Wildlife plan goes to Senate
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A bill that threatens to sue the federal government over
wolf management is headed to the full Senate.
Senate File 97 was heavily amended Thursday before the Senate Travel,
Recreation, Wildlife and Cultural Resources Committee approved it 4-1.
One change would ask the attorney general to “prepare a plan of litigation” to
give Wyoming sole management authority over all species in the state except
within Yellowstone National Park.
The same amendment would ask the attorney general to look into whether the Game
and Fish Department could gain management authority over species in other
federally controlled areas in Wyoming.
The bill is aimed at wolves, which were introduced in Yellowstone in 1995 and
have since spread throughout northwest Wyoming.
In an effort to prevent that from happening again, the bill would ban the
“introduction, reintroduction, propagation or management of any wildlife
species” by anyone except the state Game and Fish Department.
As for species that have already been introduced in Wyoming — namely wolves —
the bill seeks reimbursement for costs and damage.
The legislation coincides with an effort by the Game and Fish Commission to
develop a state wolf management plan. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is
requiring that Wyoming, Idaho and Montana develop their own management plans
before wolves are removed from endangered species status.
Sen. John Hanes, R-Cheyenne, pointed out the contradiction: “On the one hand
we’re telling them to go ahead with the delisting. On the other hand we’re
telling them ‘We don’t like you, go away,’ ” he said.
Committee chairman and bill sponsor Delaine Roberts, R-Etna, acknowledged that
the bill is “pretty pointed” but said he hopes it will attract some attention.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that the federal government could take these off
the Endangered Species List,” he said. “But instead they’re saying, ‘You come
up with a plan.'”
While the threat of a lawsuit was added to the bill, some of its most pointed
language was removed Thursday.
One section that was removed would have demanded the removal of reintroduced
species in Wyoming. Another deleted measure would have told the state’s
sheriffs that all wildlife violations would be investigated by the Game and
Fish Department and not by the federal government.
Most who testified at the meeting supported the bill.