Wolf Lawsuit: WDFW Memo to Commissioners

[Bushcraft]

Commissioners:
 
Below is a summary of key issues regarding the wolf management lawsuit filed on 9/25/17.  This information will be distributed to the wolf advisory group tomorrow.
 
Please let us know if you have any questions.
 
Sincerely,
 
Nate Pamplin, Policy Director
WDFW
(360) 902-2693
 
 

Wolf management lawsuit
Key issues – September 27, 2017

Summary of allegations[/b]

On September 25, two environmental groups, the Center for Biological Diversity of Tucson, AZ, and Cascadia Wildlands of Eugene, OR, filed a lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court designed to force WDFW to stop killing gray wolves that repeatedly prey on livestock.

The suit challenges the use of the department’s current wolf-livestock interactions protocol (Protocol), developed by WDFW and its Wolf Advisory Group. The Protocol was developed to implement the provisions of the 2011 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan (Wolf Plan).

In their complaint, the plaintiffs contend that:

• The department’s adoption of the protocol – and subsequent decisions to remove a wolf under the terms of the protocol – violated the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) because WDFW did not make “threshold determinations” of whether its action would have significant environmental impacts.
• WDFW should have produced a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for the protocol, because the original EIS for the 2011 Wolf Plan contemplated additional environmental review.
• The lethal removal order for the Sherman Pack was arbitrary and capricious because it was based on unsupported findings that continued predation was likely and that removal of wolves from the pack would not harm overall gray wolf recovery.

Background of protocol

The department will not comment on details of the complaint or pending litigation, except to say:

• The protocol was developed in 2016 and refined in 2017 by WDFW staff and members of the department’s Wolf Advisory Group, which includes a diversity of Washington citizens representing perspectives from livestock producers, hunters, and environmentalists.
• The protocol is not just a set of guidelines for lethal removal. In fact, it includes expectations for the use of proactive non-lethal, preventive strategies to reduce the likelihood of wolf-livestock conflict. It also spells out criteria, which are consistent with the Wolf Plan, for wolf removal in cases where wolves do not respond to non-lethal deterrence measures.
• One purpose of the protocol is to describe when the department considers lethal removal of gray wolves, which is an action that was assessed in Chapter 4 of the 2011 Wolf Plan.

WDFW Perspective

• Wolf conservation and management is highly controversial nationwide and unfortunately has a history of litigation. While we’re disappointed that these two out-of-state groups have chosen to file a lawsuit, the department is committed to continuing to work with a diversity of Washington citizens and stakeholders on the conservation and management of Washington’s growing wolf population.

[pianoman9701]

Lay with dogs, get fleas.

[timberfaller]

 "two environmental groups, the Center for Biological Diversity of Tucson, AZ, and Cascadia Wildlands of Eugene, OR,"

Surprise Surprise!!!  NOT!!  These people need to be in a mental institution somewhere.

CBD is your friendly Anti 2A group who soul existent if from "Grants"(aka Taxpayers dollars) They know that if they can get lead banned They win the fight!!

[bearpaw]

Absolutely no surprise, we will face lawsuits at every turn, it's how the wolfers operate!

[nwwanderer]

$$$$$, no effect