Hageman Letter to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Stop Stonewalling on the Delisting of the GYE Grizzly

Washington, DC – Congresswoman Harriet Hageman led a letter to Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), expressing frustration and disappointment in the recent decision to postpone the finalization of the 12-month finding for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) of grizzly bears and demanding answers. The letter was cosigned by Reps. Fulcher (ID-01), Rosendale (MT-02), Stauber (MN-08), and Zinke (MT-01).

Representative Hageman stated, “The science that the GYE population is fully recovered is clear and, according to the most recent Grizzly Bear Management Report, all recovery criteria for the GYE population have been and are currently being met. This is why the state of Wyoming submitted a petition to delist the GYE population on January 21, 2022, more than two and half years ago.

“I personally questioned Deputy Director of Fish & Wildlife Steve Guertin during a subcommittee hearing and his responses to my questions indicated a decision by USFW would be made by the end of July 2024.  Mr. Guertin also stated, in response to a hypothetical scenario of a listing petition being filed for the GYE today, that such petition would probably be rejected based on the listing factors set forward in the Endangered Species Act. It is obvious to us that a political decision – rather than the science – was interjected into the process in the two weeks between this hearing and the announcement to postpone the 12-month finding to justify such an action.

“Stonewalling on this delisting is causing grave danger to people and livestock in Wyoming. The USFW needs to act now.”

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Contact: Chris Berardi, Sr. Advisor/Communications Director