Public Invited: Options for Grizzly Bear Restoration in North Cascades

[bearpaw]

For Immediate Release
February 13, 2015
 
Media contacts:
Denise Shultz, National Park Service (360) 854-7302 or denise_m_shultz@nps.gov
Ann Froschauer, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (360) 753-4370 or ann_froschauer@fws.gov
 
Public Invited to Open Houses on Options for Grizzly Bear Restoration in North Cascades Ecosystem
 
Public comment period open through March 26, 2015
 
SEDRO WOOLLEY, Wash. – The puublic is invited to participate in a series of informational open houses regarding restoration of grizzly bears in the North Cascades ecosystem. The meetings are being held by the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as part of the Grizzly Bear Restoration Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for the North Cascades ecosystem. This is the first opportunity for public involvement in the EIS.  The purpose of the EIS is to determine whether or not the agencies will take an active role in restoring the grizzly bear to the North Cascades Ecosystem.
 
The public open houses will be held at these locations and times:

Winthrop         March 3, 5-7:30 pm
                        Red Barn Upper Meeting Room
                        51 N. Hwy 20
                        Winthrop, WA 98862
 
Okanogan        March 4, 5-7:30 pm
                        Okanogan PUD Meeting Room
                        1331 2nd Ave N
                        Okanogan, WA 98840
 
Wenatchee      March 5, 6-8:30 pm
                        Chelan County PUD Auditorium
                        327 N. Wenatchee Ave.
                        Wenatchee, WA 98801
 
Cle Elum         March 9, 5-7:30 pm
                        Putnam Centennial Center Meeting Room
                        719 East 3rd Street
                        Cle Elum, WA 98922
 
Seattle             March 10, 5-7:30 pm
                        Seattle Pacific University Bertona Classroom 1
                        103 West Bertona
                        Seattle, WA 98119
 
Bellingham      March 11, 5-7:30 pm
                         Bellingham Central Library Lecture Room
                         210 Central Avenue
                         Bellingham, WA 98227
 
 
In addition to these open houses, the public is invited to submit written comments at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/NCEG. Comments may also be submitted through March 26, 2015, via regular mail or hand delivery at: Superintendent Office, North Cascades National Park Service Complex, 810 State Route 20, Sedro Woolley, WA 98284.
 
This is an important phase in the process of assessing environmental impacts, said NPS Pacific West Regional Director Chris Lehnertz. Public comment at this stage is critical to ensure that all issues are considered.
 
The FWS listed the grizzly bear as a threatened species in the lower 48 United States in 1975. The species was listed as endangered by the state of Washington in 1980.

The Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan calls on us to fully consider the restoration of the grizzly bear in the North Cascades, and this process will ensure we solicit the public for their input before putting any plan into action, said FWS Pacific Regional Director Robyn Thorson. We will continue to work with our partners to make this an open and transparent process.

The North Cascades ecosystem encompasses 9,800 square miles in the United States and another 3,800 square miles in British Columbia, Canada.  The United States portion of the ecosystem includes North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

A few grizzly bears have recently been sighted in the Canadian part of the ecosystem, but no grizzly bears have been sighted in the United States portion for several years.

[IBspoiled]

They are going to do what they want regardless of public involvement or opinion

[KFhunter]

They are going to do what they want regardless of public involvement or opinion

   sums it up nicely.


they could get 80% of the state saying no and they'd still do it.

[longstevo]

More critters in the woods with teeth.

[bobcat]

How dumb. Nothing but a waste of money. If grizzly bears are going to become more abundant in the North Cascades, they can very well do it on their own, without our help. I don't want to see a dime spent on anything to do with this. They're already there, if the habitat will support more, I'm sure they know how to make more babies and increase their population just fine without any help at all.

[Skillet]

Given how the wolf reintroduction is going, I'll offer up an unqualified "Hell no."

[IBspoiled]

I think it is time to buy stocks , Invest in pepper, and bear spray because stocks will be sky high soon.

[KFhunter]

I think it is time to buy stocks , Invest in pepper, and bear spray because stocks will be sky high soon.

and bells,  don't forget little bells.

[steen]

Absolutely not!

[Skillet]

I think it is time to buy stocks , Invest in pepper, and bear spray because stocks will be sky high soon.

and bells,  don't forget little bells.

 
Exactly like the ones you find in bear scat that smells like pepper spray.

[IBspoiled]

Great, now I'm going to have to pack a bigger shovel.   SSS

[X-Force]

If they already believe there are 20 bears in the north cascade why do they need an EIS involving the public? Why dont they just drop off the 5-10 bears that they want to stimulate the population?


Im assuming they will say this areas needs more federal protections even though nearly 10,000 sq miles of the North Cascades are designated at "Recovery Area" and 85% of that area is federally owned.

[Man Tracker]

Will the idiocy never end?

[bknilvr00]

All I can think of is the first poor soul that has to shoot one in self defense and gets crucified for it.

[Curly]

Will the idiocy never end?

Doesn't seem like it.  It is a constant fight with the moronic tree hugging types.   

There are plenty of predators in this state already.