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Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com
Email: timberwolfinfonetwork@gmail.com

Wyo to appeal wolf FOIA denial

Wyo to appeal wolf FOIA denial

CHEYENNE — Wyoming plans to appeal a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refusing the release of some documents considered in the federal agency’s rejection of the state’s proposed wolf management plan.

Wyoming requested the documents under the Freedom of Information Act. The state is preparing to sue the federal agency over the rejection.

“What we wanted to know was — from both the regional and national offices — give us the comments, the research and documents generated in denying Wyoming’s wolf plan,” Mike O’Donnell, chief deputy attorney general, said Thursday.

In a letter sent Monday to state Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Golden, the federal agency said some documents would be delayed because they are needed in a different wolf lawsuit in Oregon.

But others will not be turned over because they reflect personal opinions and recommendations, the agency said. The letter said a permissible reason for rejecting an FOIA request is that personal views could confuse the public understanding of an official agency policy or position.

The letter was signed by FWS Deputy Regional Director John Blankenship.

The federal government is requiring Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to submit acceptable plans for managing wolves before it will propose removing the animals from Endangered Species Act protection.

While accepting Idaho and Montana’s plans, the Fish and Wildlife Service rejected Wyoming’s plan in January.

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