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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Bison Bills Update

There have been alot of house and senate bills on bison. Here's the latest status of them.

SB 207--putting ALL bison under authority of DOL--passed the 3rd reading and has hearing 3/29/11

SB 148-- creating new group to oversee bison management with DPHHS--no vote "Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal"

HB 482--making bison "valued native wildlife in need of conservation and management"--no vote "Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal"

SB 174--prohibiting state funds to move bison onto Spotted Dog WMA--passed 13-7 and in 2nd House

SB 214--classify all wild bison as livestock--no vote "Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal"

SB 184 --permit "use of bows and arrows" to hunt bison--passed 18-2 and in 2nd House

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Conservationists Turn Back on Wolves

The feds decided to delist wolves in Montana and Idaho. 14 conservation groups had filed a suit to maintain Endangered Species protection for wolves. All but 4 of these groups backed down. The four who stood by the wolves are: Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Western Watersheds, Humane Society of the United States and the Friends of the Clearwater.

The 10 who agreed with USFWS and abandoned the wolves are: Cascadia Wildlands, Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Hells Canyon Preservation Council, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council, Oregon Wild, Sierra Club and Wildlands Network.

The good news about the settlement is that wolves in Oregon, Washington, Utah and Wyoming are now listed endangered. 

The court case settlement can be viewed here: http://www.newwest.net/pdfs/NRM%20wolf%20settlement%20agreement%203.2011.pdf