A federal judge will not dismiss a lawsuit brought against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), ruling the agency has failed to meet federal requirements for a nationwide gray wolf recovery plan.
The Center for Biological Diversity filed suit against USFWS, claiming the agency does not meet the Endangered Species Act’s requirements for a national recovery plan.
“I hope this finally ends the Service’s decades-long gerrymandering of wolf ranges in its attempt to prematurely remove wolves from the endangered species list,” said Sophia Ressler, a staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The agency must live up to the reality of what science and the law demand. That means a comprehensive plan that addresses gray wolf recovery across the country.”
The judge’s ruling does not impact wolves in Alaska, or the Northern Rocky Mountain population, along with certain populations in Oregon, Washington and Utah. The conservation group said they will “vigorously pursuing the remainder of this lawsuit.”
