Senate Western Caucus Members Applaud Trump DOI Move Returning Management of Grizzly Bears to the West

U.S. Senate Western Caucus members applauded the Department of the Interior for proposing new flexibility for western states in managing grizzly bears. According to a media release from Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis, the announcement, made by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum Tuesday, alongside Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, Idaho Governor Brad Little, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik, proposes a revised rule to increase management flexibility for grizzly bears in areas where the species has met, and in many cases exceeded, federal recovery benchmarks.

The updated proposal ensures the Endangered Species Act is being used as Congress intended while continuing to support the species’ long-term conservation. Senator Lummis said that she’s pleased that President Trump and Secretary Burgum are keeping their commitment to returning power to the states and trusting states to manage what they’ve already worked to recover.

Senator Barrasso also issued a media release, applauding the decision to return grizzly management to the west. If finalized, the rule would provide a tiered framework that would allow state wildlife managers to have more flexibility in managing federally listed species. It would also give states the ability to make on-the-ground decisions important to grizzly bear conservation and ensuring human safety. The rule would cover all grizzly bears in the lower 48 U.S. states. The DOI will receive public comment on the proposed rule over the next 30 days.