Bill to delist Yellowstone grizzlies moves forward

A bill that would delist Yellowstone grizzly bears from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife recently advanced to the Secretary of Interior. HR1245, which is sponsored by Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman, progressed beyond the House of Natural Resources Committee last week, according to WYO4 News.

“I am thankful to my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee for their support for the delisting of the Greater Yellowstone population of grizzly bears,” stated Hageman. “The grizzly bear has been listed as threatened (but not endangered) since 1975, and its original recovery goal was 500 bears. Today, we have nearly 1100 bears in this ecosystem. The population of bears has become so great that they now pose a serious and deadly threat to people and livestock in Wyoming.

“The goal of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for the Greater Yellowstone Grizzly has clearly been met and we should rightly return species management back to the State of Wyoming. We cannot continue to allow activist courts or agency bureaucrats to block sound species management.   

“I appreciate the support of my House cosponsors, Rep. Ryan Zinke, who actually DID attempt to delist the grizzly bear during his service as Secretary of the Interior, and Rep. Matt Rosendale. I look forward to seeing this legislation passed in the House of Representatives and taken up by the Senate – where Senator Lummis has already introduced a companion bill.”

This is just one of several bills that, back in March, sources predicted would die before they reached the Senate. HR1245 focuses on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of grizzly bears. Prior efforts to delist the bears – in 2007 and 2017 – have been blocked. 

Stay tuned to GOHUNT for further updates.