Wolf Resources

 Wolf Laws & Rules Tracker

This page details all currently proposed legislation or agency action relating to American wolves and subspecies, including the Grey Wolf, Mexican Wolf, Red Wolf, or Eastern Wolf. We will also add summaries of litigation relating to wolves in the near future.

Legislation

Tribal Wildlife COrridors act of 2019 (H.R.5179) Link

Sponsors:  Rep. Ruben Gallego [AZ-7], Rep. Debra A. Haaland [NM-1], Rep. Ben Ray Lujan [NM-3], Rep. Grace F. Napolitano [CA-32]

Summary: This bill allows federally recognized tribes to nominate Indian land to become a wildlife corridor for fish, wildlife, or plants. Related to S.2891

Last Action on Bill:

10/9/2020- Bill was placed on the Union calendar

11/29/2019- Bill introduced in the house

Tribal Wildlife Corridors Act of 2019 (S.2891) Link

Sponsors: Sen. Tom Udall [NM], Sen. Cory A. Booker [NJ], Sen. Kamala D. Harris [CA], Sen. Richard Blumenthal [CT], Sen. Bernard Sanders [VT], Sen. Jon Tester [MT], Sen. Tina Smith [MN], Sen. Elizabeth Warren [MA]

Summary: This bill allows federally recognized tribes to nominate Indian land to become a wildlife corridor for fish, wildlife, or plants. Related to H.R. 5179.

Last Action on Bill:

12/09/2020- Report issued by the Committee on Indian Affairs. Bill was placed on Senate Legislative Calendar.

11/19/2020- Bill was introduced to the Senate

7/29/2020- Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably by the Committee on Indian Affairs

Gray Wolf State Management Act of 2019 (H.R. 4494) link

Sponsors: Rep. Collin C. Peterson [MN-7], Rep. Pete Stauber [MN-8], Rep. James F. Sensenbrenner Jr. [WI-5], Rep. Mike Gallagher [WI-8], Rep. Ron Kind [WI-3], Rep. John R. Moolenaar [MI-4], Rep. Bill Huizenga [MI-2], Rep. Tom Emmer [MN-6], Rep. Glenn Grothman [WI-6], Rep. Bryan Steil [WI-1]

Summary: This bill requires the Department of the Interior to reissue a rule that removed protections under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 for the gray wolf populations located in the western Great Lakes (all of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, as well as portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio).

Last Action on Bill:

10/3/2019- Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife.

Managing Predators Act (H.R 8180) LInk

Sponsors: Rep. Tiffany P. Thomas [WI-7], Rep. Pete Stauber [MN-8], Rep. Doug LaMalfa [CA-1], Rep. Paul A. Gosar [AZ-4], Rep. Mike Gallagher [WI-8], Rep. James F. Sensenbrenner Jr. [WI-5], Rep. Glenn Grothman [WI-6], Rep. Liz Cheney [WY-At Large], Rep. Bryan Steil [WI-1]

Summary: This bill amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to exclude the Grey Wolf from the list of threatened and endangered species.

Last Action on Bill:

9/4/2020- Introduced to the House and was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

9/18/2020- Referred to Sub Committee on Water, Ocean, and Wildlife

State- and Science-based Gray Wolf Reintroduction Act of 2020 (H.R. 6267) Link

Sponsor: Rep. Tipton, Scott R. [CO-3]

Summary: This bill aims to establish a process and guidelines for state determinations to reintroduce grey wolves. The process requires that he state governor and secretary to approve of the plan, A “science based”report from the state’s Fish and Wildlife department that reintroduction is necessary, and a report on how reintroduction will impact the state’s wild ungulate population.

Last Action on Bill:

3/30/2020- Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife

American Wild Game and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 6035) Link

Sponsors: Rep. Collin C. Peterson [MN-7], Rep. Rob Bishop [UT-1], Rep. Dusty Johnson [SD-At Large], Rep. Ben McAdams [UT-4]

Summary: This bill requires the Department of the Interior to issue as a final rule the proposed rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This bill exempts the rule from judicial review. Related to S. 3140

Last Action on Bill:

3/9/2020- Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife

American Wild Game and Livestock Protection Act (S.3140) Link

Sponsors: Sen. Mike Lee [UT], Sen. Mitt Romney [UT], Sen. Steve Daines [MT] Sen. Ron Johnson [WI]

Summary: This bill requires the Department of the Interior to issue as a final rule the proposed rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. This bill exempts the rule from judicial review. Related to R.H. 6035

Last Action on Bill:

12/19/2020- Referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to reissue final rules relating to listing the gray wolf in the Western Great Lakes and Wyoming under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. (S.831) Link

Sponsors: Sen. Ron Johnson [WI]Sen. Tammy Baldwin [WI], Sen. John Barrasso [WY], Sen. Michael B. Enzi [WY]

Summary: The Department of the Interior must reinstate a rule that removed the gray wolf in the Western Great Lakes region from the endangered and threatened species list. The bill exempts the reinstated rule from judicial review. In addition, it exempts from judicial review a reinstated rule that removes the gray wolf in Wyoming from the list.

Last Action on Bill

3/14/2019- Referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

A bill to require the delisting of Mexican gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 on a determination that the subspecies has been sufficiently recovered in the United States. (S. 2277) Link

Sponsors: Sen. Jeff Flake [AR]

Summary: This bill requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife to make a determination if the Mexican Wolf has recovered, and delist the species accordingly. The bill defines the population as recovered if there is at least 100 wolves in a 5,000 square mile area within the historic range of the wolf, as defined in the Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan of 1982.

Last Action on Bill

1/4/2018- Bill was read and referred to Committee on Environment and Public Works

Administrative Rules

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife Link

Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service

Summary: This rule officially delists the grey wolf (Canis lupus) from the endangered species list in the lower 48 United States and Mexico. It does not delist the Mexican Wolf. The agency is not initiating status reviews of the petitioned entities on this rule.

Rule Issued on 11/3/2020

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revision to the Nonessential Experimental Population of the Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) link

Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service

Summary: This rule is a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on the population of Mexican wolves. This is in conjunction with the proposed rule to revise the “nonessential experimental population” designation of Mexican wolves in response to a court-order remand by the District Court of Arizona in 2015. The purpose of the (EIS) is to evaluate the essentiality, population genetic health, and objectives of recovery plans for the Mexican Wolf.

Rule Issued on 4/15/2020

Subsistence Management Regulations for Public Lands in Alaska-2020-21 and 2021-22 Subsistence Taking of Wildlife Regulations link

Agency: Forest Service, Department of Agriculture; Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Interior

Summary: This rule establishes regulations for seasons, harvest limits, and method and means for taking wildlife in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 regulatory year for Alaska. Wolves are one of the many species addressed in this rule.

Rule Issued on 11/23/2020