Proposal would end protection for wolves in Washington, Oregon, Idaho

YAKIMA — Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse has introduced a bill to remove the gray wolf from Endangered Species Act protections in Washington, Oregon and Utah.

Removing wolves from the list is “long overdue” and would allow state wildlife officials to manage wolves more effectively, said Newhouse, a freshman who represents central Washington.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reported Friday that the bill would also prevent states from providing wolf protections that are stronger than those found in the federal Endangered Species Act.

A spokesman for Conservation Northwest, which works on wolf recovery issues, called the bill disappointing. Chase Gunnell said there are only a few wolves receiving federal protection in Washington and Oregon.

“We’re talking about 12 wolves in Washington and another six or so in Oregon,” Gunnell said. “Until those Cascade wolves are on stronger footing, we think it’s important to protect them.”

Decades after being wiped out, Washington’s wolf population is growing as the animals move in from Idaho and Canada. The population is estimated at about 68 animals in 16 known packs, mostly in the northeast corner of the state, according to a recent report from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Wolves remain on the state’s endangered species list.

But on the federal level, the state is split into two separate wolf populations. In the eastern third of the state, wolves are considered part of the Northern Rocky Mountain population, which was removed from the endangered list in 2011.

But in the western two-thirds of the state, wolves are considered part of the Pacific Northwest population, which is much smaller and still listed as endangered.

“States are fully qualified to manage gray wolf populations responsibly and are better equipped to meet the needs of local communities, ranchers, livestock and wildlife populations,” Newhouse said in press statement.

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Rep. Chris Steward, R-Utah, co-sponsored the bill.

Washington’s management plan sets a target of 15 known breeding pairs — with at least three located in each region of the state — as the point when the species can be considered recovered. Currently, the state has five known breeding pairs.