The Biden administration has filed a motion with the 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals to reverse a 2022 court decision that reinstated endangered species protections for gray wolves nationwide.
### Article:
The Biden administration is moving to reinstate a Trump-era rule that lifted endangered species protections on gray wolves in the U.S., a move that has drawn criticism from conservationists but support from some ranchers and farmers.
Biden Administration Moves to Reinstate Trump-Era Rule Lifting Gray Wolf Protections
In a filing with the 9th U.S. District Court of Appeals on Friday, attorneys with the Justice Department argued that a 2022 court decision overturning the Trump-era ruling was wrong. They claimed that the district court "misunderstood the ESA's clear mandate and compounded that error by imposing its own views of the science."
The Biden administration's 87-page filing asserts that gray wolves no longer meet the ESA's standards of protection because they are no longer considered "endangered" or "threatened." It cites the 2020 ruling from Trump's Department of Interior Fish and Wildlife Service that delisted the wolf species, concluding that "no configuration of gray wolves was threatened or endangered in all or a significant portion of its range."
Biden Administration Moves to Reinstate Trump-Era Rule Lifting Gray Wolf Protections
The move comes just months after a group of 20 House Republicans sent a letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Martha Williams, urging the Biden administration to remove protections for the gray wolf. They cited conflicts with ranchers and farmers, who argue that wolves pose a threat to livestock.
In February, FWS rejected requests from conservation groups to restore protection for gray wolves across the Northern Rocky Mountain region. More recently, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers passed legislation in April to end federal protection for gray wolves and remove them from the endangered species list.
Biden Administration Moves to Reinstate Trump-Era Rule Lifting Gray Wolf Protections
Conservation groups have condemned the Biden administration's move to reinstate the Trump-era rule, arguing that gray wolf populations are still vulnerable and need protection. They point to data showing that the wolf population in the contiguous U.S. has declined by nearly 10% since 2020.
The Center for Biological Diversity, a conservation organization, called the Biden administration's filing "a deeply disappointing betrayal of the Endangered Species Act."
Biden Administration Moves to Reinstate Trump-Era Rule Lifting Gray Wolf Protections
"Gray wolves are still facing serious threats from habitat loss, hunting, and trapping. Stripping them of protection under the ESA would be a disaster for this iconic species," said Collette Adkins Giese, a wildlife advocate at the center.
Supporters of the Trump-era rule argue that gray wolf populations have rebounded since being delisted and that they are now a threat to livestock. They say that state and tribal wildlife managers should be responsible for managing wolf populations.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, a leading agricultural organization, expressed support for the Biden administration's move to reinstate the Trump-era rule.
"Gray wolves have recovered to sustainable levels in many areas of the country and are now a threat to livestock and the livelihoods of ranchers and farmers," said Dale Moore, the federation's president. "We urge the court to uphold the delisting rule and allow states to manage their wolf populations."
The court is expected to rule on the Biden administration's motion in the coming months.
