Newhouse Introduces Legislation to Strengthen State Management of the Gray Wolf

Press Release

Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after joining 20 of his House Republican colleagues in introducing the Trust the Science Act to strengthen state management of the gray wolf. The bill requires the Department of the Interior to reissue the 2020 final rule which used the best available science to delist the gray wolf from the list of endangered species in the lower 48 states and ensures that the reissuance of the final rule will not be subject to judicial review.

"Gray wolves have been successfully recovered--thanks to effective state and local species management plans," said Rep. Newhouse. "Instead of pandering to interest groups with political agendas, we should trust the best available science, which deems the gray wolf an Endangered Species Act success story. I'm proud to support science-based listing decisions that benefit species and local communities."

The best available scientific and commercial information continued to indicate the gray wolf does not meet the definitions of a threatened or endangered species. In Washington state alone, there are at least 206 known wolves in 33 known packs, including at least 19 breeding pairs.

The Diamond M ranch, one of the biggest cattle operations in Washington, reported in 2021 that 70 of its herd were lost each year due to wolf attacks from the Togo pack and others.

Background:

In 2020, the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States from protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) through a process that included the best science and data available. At over 6,000 wolves at the time of delisting, the gray wolf has been the latest Endangered Species Act success story with recoveries with significant populations in the Rocky Mountains and western Great Lakes regions.

An activist California judge vacated the final 2020 rule back to the Service thereby restoring ESA protections for the gray wolf across most of United States.

Gray wolf populations have fully recovered according to career officials who work for the Department of Interior currently and made the delisting decision based on the best available science.

Original cosponsors include Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Scott Perry (R-PA), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Brian Steil (R-WI), Ken Buck (R-CO), John Moolenaar (R-MI), and Tom Emmer (R-MN).

Groups supporting the Trust the Science Act include: Alaska Farm Bureau Federation, BigGame Forever, Colorado Cattlemen's Association, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Wool Growers Association, House Committee on Natural Resources Republicans, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, Mid States Wool Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association, Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association, National Rifle Association (NRA), New Mexico Wool Growers Inc., Oregon Cattlemen's Association, Safari Club International (SCI), Washington Farm Bureau, Western Caucus, Wisconsin Cattleman's Association, and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.

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