U.S. Legislators Reintroduce Bill to Federally Delist Gray Wolves

U.S. Representative Tom Tiffany, in collaboration with Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), has officially introduced a new bill, titled the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, aimed at removing gray wolves from the federal Endangered Species List nationwide. This legislation follows prior attempts, including the Trust the Science Act in 2022, which successfully passed the House but failed in the Senate. The new bill gains support from 30 co-sponsors, up from the 21 who backed the previous version.

The core intent of the bill is to reissue the Department of the Interior's 2020 final rule, which had previously removed gray wolves from federal protection under the Trump administration, citing scientific data that reflected a significant population recovery. Estimated at over 6,000 wolves at the time of the rule, the gray wolf was heralded as an Endangered Species Act (ESA) success story, particularly in the Rocky Mountains and Great Lakes regions.

A unique feature of the new legislation is its provision to shield the rule from judicial review. This move comes in response to a 2022 legal ruling by a California judge that overturned the earlier 2020 delisting, reinstating federal protections for gray wolves. Proponents of the bill point to growing pet and livestock losses due to increasing wolf populations as an additional justification for the measure.

If passed, the legislation could pave the way for wolf hunting seasons, similar to those held in Minnesota from 2012 to 2014. These seasons aimed to manage wolf populations in a sustainable manner and were supported by MDHA (Minnesota Deer Hunters Association). The path forward, however, is expected to face significant challenges, including opposition from conservation groups and legal challenges from wolf protection advocates.

Public hearings will follow the introduction of the bill, as it seeks congressional approval. Whether this bill will prevent future gray wolf reintroductions, such as those rumored for Maine, remains uncertain.