Post by: bearpaw on February 13, 2015, 06:33:00 PM
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. (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.
Post by: IBspoiled on February 13, 2015, 06:46:05 PM
Post by: KFhunter on February 13, 2015, 06:52:02 PM
They are going to do what they want regardless of public involvement or opinion
:yeah: sums it up nicely.
they could get 80% of the state saying no and they'd still do it.
Post by: longstevo on February 13, 2015, 06:55:06 PM
Post by: bobcat on February 13, 2015, 06:56:45 PM
Post by: Skillet on February 13, 2015, 06:58:57 PM
Post by: IBspoiled on February 13, 2015, 07:00:43 PM
Post by: KFhunter on February 13, 2015, 07:08:03 PM
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.
Post by: steen on February 13, 2015, 07:09:13 PM
Post by: Skillet on February 13, 2015, 07:11:07 PM
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.
:yeah:
Exactly like the ones you find in bear scat that smells like pepper spray.
Post by: IBspoiled on February 13, 2015, 07:18:23 PM
Post by: X-Force on February 13, 2015, 07:48:48 PM
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.
Post by: Man Tracker on February 13, 2015, 08:02:27 PM
Post by: bknilvr00 on February 13, 2015, 08:02:58 PM
Post by: Curly on February 13, 2015, 08:11:33 PM
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.
Post by: Bean Counter on February 13, 2015, 08:14:17 PM
Great, now I'm going to have to pack a bigger shovel. SSS :DOH:
^
That's a lot of shoveling just sayin'
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on February 13, 2015, 08:24:40 PM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on February 13, 2015, 08:26:38 PM
TOO BAD hunters/outdoors people, couldn't turn the tables on the antis like they do to us.
Post by: JimmyHoffa on February 13, 2015, 08:32:44 PM
Another way for the antis to get lands closed/restricted for human use, period.yeah, they'll probably start by shutting down bear season in the area so that no grizz accidently get mistaken for blacks.
TOO BAD hunters/outdoors people, couldn't turn the tables on the antis like they do to us.
Post by: IBspoiled on February 13, 2015, 08:44:40 PM
Post by: KFhunter on February 13, 2015, 08:44:48 PM
Grizzles are the least of our worries folks, the apex predator is already here and out numbers them and always will. Don't let this change our focus off the WOLVES people! :twocents:
I view the grizz and wolf as the tag team titans of the predator world. The wolf knocks em down and the bear cleans them up.
wolf moves on, bear follows, rinse repeat.
Post by: idahohuntr on February 13, 2015, 09:48:58 PM
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.Exactly my thoughts. There must be better things to spend time/money on.
Post by: coachcw on February 13, 2015, 09:54:52 PM
Post by: CAMPMEAT on February 13, 2015, 10:15:42 PM
Another way for the antis to get lands closed/restricted for human use, period.yeah, they'll probably start by shutting down bear season in the area so that no grizz accidently get mistaken for blacks.
TOO BAD hunters/outdoors people, couldn't turn the tables on the antis like they do to us.
Indeed......
Post by: sakoshooter on February 13, 2015, 10:39:59 PM
They are going to do what they want regardless of public involvement or opinion
:yeah: sums it up nicely.
they could get 80% of the state saying no and they'd still do it.
Seems to be the way these days.