Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) introduced a resolution of disapproval under Title 5 U.S. Code Chapter 8, the Congressional Review Act, in response to the Biden Administration finalizing its misguided plan to establish a nonessential experimental population of grizzly bears in the North Cascades ecosystem.
Rep. Newhouse questioned National Park Service Director, Chuck Sams, at a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands Oversight hearing, and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Martha Williams, on the final rule at a House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries Hearing.
To read the full notice of disapproval, click here.
Watch Rep. Newhouse’s remarks to Director Williams from the House Natural Resources Committee hearing HERE or read excerpts below:
“Director Williams, when we met last November, you told me that this 10(j) proposal was needed to expand management options due to the fact that the First Nation Tribes in British Colombia had plans to “imminently” move bears to the northern border of the NCE.
I would now like to enter into the record correspondence between my staff and the Canadian government, specifically staff from British Columbia. This correspondence states that “there are no immediate plans to move bears into the Canadian side of the North Cascades Ecosystem.” Isn’t that interesting?
What is abundantly clear to me now is your agency is relocating bears from other ecosystems to prevent the delisting in spite of population recovery metrics having been achieved as outlined under the ESA.”
Watch Rep. Newhouse’s remarks to Director Sams from the House Natural Resources hearing HERE or read excerpts below:
“The National Park Service, jointly with the Fish and Wildlife Service, recently decided against the will of my constituents that they will be introducing grizzly bears into my district.
You heard me correctly – the federal government has finalized a plan to airdrop grizzly bears into the North Cascades ecosystem.
Grizzly Bears have not existed in this ecosystem for decades so NPS is not preserving a grizzly park, nor does it support the NPS’s goal of “creating close-to-home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.” It’s too close-to-home for my constituents and is certainly not fun.”
To learn more and watch the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands Oversight hearing, click here.
To watch the full House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries hearing, click here.