"A federal judge today restored Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf, marking a big win for environmentalists in a high-profile fight that’s raged across the Western landscape.
In a decision that addressed three related challenges filed by environmental groups, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White struck down the Fish and Wildlife Service’s decision to remove the iconic animal from the ESA list.
“The Final Rule relies on the recovery of core metapopulations of wolves in the Great Lakes and Northern Rocky Mountains to conclude that wolves across the entire lower 48 states no longer qualify for federal protection,” White noted.
But White, who was appointed by President George W. Bush to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, declared that “the Service did not adequately consider threats to wolves outside of these core populations.”"
Michael Doyle reports for E&E News February 10, 2022.
SEE ALSO:
"Wolves Will Regain Federal Protection in Much of the U.S." (New York Times)
"Gray Wolf Federal Protections Removed By Trump Restored Across Much of US" (Guardian)
"Judge Restores Protections For Gray Wolves Across Much of US" (AP)
