The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is America's bedrock conservation law. But this invaluable act could be weakened if we let anti-wolf legislation remove Northern Rockies gray wolves from the ESA.
Never before has Congress targeted one specific species for removal from the ESA in such a reckless manner.
Excluding gray wolves from these protections would threaten the foundation of the ESA and mean death for hundreds of wolves. Northern Rockies wolves be beyond the reach of ESA protections forever and we would have no ability to petition for these protections in the future, no matter how threatened wolves become. Only the Interior Secretary, at his sole discretion, would have the power to petition for ESA protections for wolves.
Tell Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to keep Northern Rockies wolves under Endangered Species Act protections and guard the strength of the ESA.
As a supporter of Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund and someone who cares about wolves, I strongly urge you to reject legislation that eliminates life-saving protections for gray wolves in the Northern Rockies, including those in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and portions of Washington, Oregon and Utah.
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Not only would wolves be delisted, they would also be put beyond the reach of the ESA forever unless the Secretary, at his sole discretion, chooses to restore them to the list of threatened or endangered species.
Even worse, under the language, there would be no ability for the American public to petition for these protections in the future... regardless of how egregious state wolf management plans become.
This proposal is anti-science, anti-wolf and anti-democratic. I strongly urge you to do everything in your power to oppose it.
Thank you for considering my comments.
