To: The Oregon State Senate
Tell the Legislature: Defend Oregon's Gray Wolves!
The Oregon State Legislature is considering a bill that would take unprecedented steps to destroy critical protections for the endangered gray wolf, a species that is still in a very fragile phase of recovery in Oregon. This bill would remove the gray wolf from Oregon's endangered species list based on a decision made without the independent scientific peer-review required under Oregon law. If it becomes law, this bill would set back years of progress made to restore the species in Oregon. We call on Democratic leaders and legislators in Salem to defend Oregon's gray wolves and vote "no" on HB 4040!
Why is this important?
HB 4040 would put into law a flawed administrative decision by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission (ODFWC) to remove the gray wolf from Oregon’s endangered species list.
The Department's recommendation was made without the independent scientific peer-review required under Oregon law. It’s critical that wildlife management, especially of an iconic species like the gray wolf, is based on sound science, not the election-year political threats from ranchers and farmers.
This legislation is an attempt to kill a lawsuit that challenges the ODFWC delisting recommendation and sets a dangerous precedent of blocking judicial review. HB 4040 directly undermines efforts at the federal level to provide federal protection for this endangered species, and it sets back years of progress made to restore the species in Oregon.