Stauber Leads Letter Urging House Leadership to Prioritize His Efforts to Delist the Gray Wolf under the ESA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) recently led a letter to House Leadership and House Appropriations Chairwoman and Ranking Member requesting that any FY2024 spending package put before the House of Representatives include language to delist the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The importance of this request was recently compounded by a Friday announcement made by the Biden Administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that there would be no changes to the listing status of the gray wolf under the ESA.
Of his letter, Stauber stated, “The gray wolf has fully recovered, yet Administration after Administration have been unable to delist this species under the ESA because well-funded activist groups have weaponized the court system to keep the gray wolf on the Endangered Species list. Most recently, an activist judge in California ordered the Biden Administration to relist the species in 2022.
Stauber continued, stating, “Friday’s announcement further demonstrates that the Biden Administration is unable to do the right thing, making it more evident that Congressional action is necessary. That’s why I am proud to lead a group of my colleagues in demanding that House Leadership and House Appropriators include language to delist the gray wolf under the ESA in any FY2024 spending package brought before this Chamber. My constituents in northern Minnesota are fed up with the devastating repercussions caused by the dramatic rise in the gray wolf population, which is why I will not stop until the gray wolf is removed from the Endangered Species list and a responsible management plan is enacted in our state.”
Read Stauber’s full letter HERE.
BACKGROUND:
In Minnesota, the gray wolf population is estimated to be well over 3,000, while the ESA Recovery Plan goal for our state is 1,400.
Congressman Stauber has been very active on this issue, introducing legislation like the Manage Our Predators Act to remove the ability of judges from faraway places to dictate how we manage wildlife in our backyard. Over the past several months, Stauber has met with constituents from across northern Minnesota to listen to their stories regarding the gray wolf attacks on livestock, pets, and wildlife. He most recently hosted a town hall meeting alongside Minnesota state legislators in Willow River, MN on January 22nd, which was attended by over 240 concerned constituents from across Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District.
On February 1st, Stauber joined House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman and his colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee in sending a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams regarding the agency's unscientific approach to gray wolf listing under the ESA and the significant impacts an endangered listing would have on western communities.