Crapo, Risch, Fulcher Push U.S. Fish and Wildlife to Change Flawed, Harmful Endangered Species Listings

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and U.S. Representative Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho) wrote U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Martha Williams urging the agency to abandon its problematic and broad use of distinct population segments in Endangered Species Act listings. 

“These legally and biologically flawed listings are not harmless. They impose unnecessary restrictions and administrative requirements, not only for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but also for federal land management agencies, states, and a wide swath of private enterprise and citizens. These listings have also provided fertile ground for procedural lawsuits that not only fail to produce conservation benefits, but divert limited federal resources to pay millions of dollars to plaintiff organization attorneys under the ESA’s citizen suit provisions,” wrote the Members.

By artificially separating wildlife populations, the agency has wasted limited conservation resources and made it nearly impossible to delist recovered species.  For example, the lower-48 grizzly bear listing, in Idaho and throughout the West, has had deadly ramifications due to increased bear encounters.  Other problematic listings include: bull trout, Canada lynx, North American wolverine, and gray wolf. 

The full letter is available here.

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