HomeMy WebLinkAbout010825 - U_S_ Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Update to Grizzly Bear Endangered Species Act Listing and ManagementALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear local partner,
Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing a proposed rule to revise the Endangered Species Act listing for grizzly bears as well as 12-month findings for the species in
the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. A full news release is now available online <https://www.fws.gov/press-release/2025-01/usfws-proposes-update-grizzly
-bear-esa-listing-management> .
This proposal designates a single Distinct Population Segment (DPS) for grizzly bears the lower 48 states, maintaining their threatened status across all recovery zones. The proposed
revisions reflect significant scientific advancements and conservation progress over the past four decades. Establishing a single DPS also addresses past court decisions by ensuring
a comprehensive, science-based framework for recovery across the entire range. It also incorporates a revised Section 4(d) rule designed to provide enhanced management flexibility.
The proposed 4(d) rule outlines additional tools for addressing human-bear conflicts, aiming to promote grizzly bear conservation in communities experiencing range expansion. These
efforts reflect our continued commitment to collaborative conservation and sustainable recovery.
This proposal does not affect the two nonessential experimental populations of grizzly bears in the North Cascades and Bitterroot ecosystems. Any changes to those population-specific
regulations would require separate rulemaking processes.
The proposed rule will be open for public comment for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register. Details and documents regarding this announcement will be available on the
project webpage at: https://www.fws.gov/grizzlyrulemaking
We invite your engagement in this important process. Your voice and expertise are invaluable to this effort, and we encourage you to review the proposal and share your perspectives.
In addition to this proposed rule, the Service has concluded its review of the petitions from Montana and Wyoming seeking to delist grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem
and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. After careful evaluation, the Service determined that the DPS boundaries proposed in those petitions are not valid listable entities under the Endangered
Species Act.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Andrew LaValle
Andrew LaValle
Public Affairs Specialist
Washington Ecological Services
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
www.fws.gov/office/washington-fish-and-wildlife <https://www.fws.gov/office/washington-fish-and-wildlife>
360-628-3810 (c)
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