News Release

Governors Reaffirm Commitment to Managing Wolves and Grizzlies

4/25/2002
Mary Schwarz
406-444-5523
mschwarz@state.mt.us

The governors of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming have reaffirmed their commitment to regional management of wolves and grizzly bears. Last week, the governors updated agreements that ensure the three states take a coordinated, regional approach to manage wolves and grizzly bears. This action is key to delisting the species under the federal Endangered Species Act.

"With the expanding range and population of both species in each of our states, it is reasonable for us to pursue a regional strategy for delisting and management," Wyoming's Governor Jim Geringer said. "The sooner we transition management authority for wolves and grizzly bears from the federal government to the states, the better."

In 1997, and again in 1999, the governors of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming confirmed their states' commitment to developing programs to manage recovered wolf and grizzly bear populations in the northern Rockies, and to assure a timely delisting of the two species.

"It is essential to the credibility of the Endangered Species Act that recovered species like the wolf and the grizzly bear be delisted promptly, Governor Kempthorne said. "All indicators show wolves to be recovered biologically: it's time for the bureaucracy to catch up."

Governor Martz added, "It's now time to celebrate these success stories, follow federal law and begin the delisting process that will allow the states to manage wolves and grizzly bears."

The new agreements update Memoranda of Understanding on the groundwork for delisting wolves and grizzly bears from the federal Endangered Species list. Under the new agreements - signed April 18 by Montana's Gov. Judy Martz, Wyoming's Gov. Jim Geringer and Idaho's Gov. Dirk Kempthorne - the states will take immediate actions to jointly prepare delisting proposals to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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