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Grizzly bear costs rise
By JEFF GEARINO, Casper Star-Tribune/AP Southwest Wyoming bureau
CHEYENNE -- Wyoming spent about $1.4 million in 2002 to manage the federally-protected grizzly bear in the state.
The federal government contributed about $45,000 to that effort, according to year-end figures provided by the Game and Fish Department. The state's sportsmen and hunters mostly picked up the rest of the tab.
Agency officials last week told the Game and Fish Commission that they expect the state's grizzly bear management costs to continue to rise in the future as the state works to get the bear's listing under the Endangered Species Act (EAS) removed.
Commissioners grudgingly decided once again to stay in the grizzly bear management business while the department searches for new funding sources.
The commission again decried the lack of funding from federal sources and again debated the merits of continuing to pay for grizzly bear management in Wyoming while they wait for the animal to be delisted.
"Why are we still in grizzly bear management....six years ago (then Game and Fish Director) John Baughman said it would be two years until delisting and now we hear it's still two years out," said Commissioner Gary Lundvall, a longtime critic of the federal recovery program.
"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has no desire to delist because we're paying all the bills," Lundvall said.
"Now that we're in a financial crunch and we're asking for additional dollars (from the Legislature) ... there's that million per year out there (for grizzly bear management) we could use," he said. "We met the delisting criteria years ago.. it's been met. It's been a great success story for the Game and Fish."
Commissioner Kerry Powers asked agency officials if the state can expect to see an increase or decrease in costs if the bear remains listed for another five years or so.
"Is that $1.4 million going to increase or decrease with the continued pressure of bear populations that will occur?" he asked.
Game and Fish acting director Tom Thorne predicted management costs will rise as grizzly bear numbers increase, as damage claims from grizzly bear depredation increase and as the animal's distribution widens under its federal protections prior to delisting.
"We don't expect a real rapid increase (in costs).. but we can safely project increases on an annual basis," Thorne said. "We are committed to doing everything we can to speed up the (delisting) process, but much of this is out of our hands."
Lundvall responded with a motion - seconded by Commissioner Hale Kreycik - directing the department to withdraw from grizzly bear management in Wyoming until such time as the animal is delisted.
Lundvall has made several, similar motions over his six-year tenure as a commissioner. None have passed, but the votes have been close.
Game and Fish Chief Fiscal Officer Ron Arnold cautioned the commission about getting out of the bear business and noted the board was mandated by statute to pay for grizzly bear damage mitigation.
He said if the commission withdrew management, those grizzly bear damage claims could exceed the anticipated $1 million a year that might be saved by not managing grizzly bears.
Commissioner Mick Powers noted the state has invested millions of dollars in grizzly bear management, research and the drafting of a state management plan.
"Of course, our best case scenario is for the state to manage grizzly bears, and wolves for that matter," he said. "But we have to line up our political ducks in a row ... and do everything we can to get funds for these programs."
Lundvall - whose final meeting is in February as part of the normal rotation on the commission - withdrew the motion after commissioner Linda Fleming promised to make a similar motion at the commission's July meeting if substantial progress on delisting has not been made by then.
USFWS officials told commissioners the agency intends to move forward sometime this year with a delisting petition aimed at removing the grizzly bear's protections under the Endangered Species Act.
"We're at a critical stage in the whole delisting process and we're a lot farther along than we've ever been before," USFWS Regional Deputy Director John Blankenship said. "Give the Service the chance to see in the next several months the direction we're moving in."
He said the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) is scheduled to meet Feb. 4 to finalize the grizzly bear recovery conservation strategy.
"After that meeting, I think we'll see the process start really moving forward," he said.
"It's our intention to move forward with delisting before the end of the calendar year."
But Blankenship added that a "legal challenge" to a delisting petition is almost certain to follow, which could delay delisting for many years.
By JEFF GEARINO, Casper Star-Tribune/AP Southwest Wyoming bureau
CHEYENNE -- Wyoming spent about $1.4 million in 2002 to manage the federally-protected grizzly bear in the state.
The federal government contributed about $45,000 to that effort, according to year-end figures provided by the Game and Fish Department. The state's sportsmen and hunters mostly picked up the rest of the tab.
Agency officials last week told the Game and Fish Commission that they expect the state's grizzly bear management costs to continue to rise in the future as the state works to get the bear's listing under the Endangered Species Act (EAS) removed.
Commissioners grudgingly decided once again to stay in the grizzly bear management business while the department searches for new funding sources.
The commission again decried the lack of funding from federal sources and again debated the merits of continuing to pay for grizzly bear management in Wyoming while they wait for the animal to be delisted.
"Why are we still in grizzly bear management....six years ago (then Game and Fish Director) John Baughman said it would be two years until delisting and now we hear it's still two years out," said Commissioner Gary Lundvall, a longtime critic of the federal recovery program.
"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has no desire to delist because we're paying all the bills," Lundvall said.
"Now that we're in a financial crunch and we're asking for additional dollars (from the Legislature) ... there's that million per year out there (for grizzly bear management) we could use," he said. "We met the delisting criteria years ago.. it's been met. It's been a great success story for the Game and Fish."
Commissioner Kerry Powers asked agency officials if the state can expect to see an increase or decrease in costs if the bear remains listed for another five years or so.
"Is that $1.4 million going to increase or decrease with the continued pressure of bear populations that will occur?" he asked.
Game and Fish acting director Tom Thorne predicted management costs will rise as grizzly bear numbers increase, as damage claims from grizzly bear depredation increase and as the animal's distribution widens under its federal protections prior to delisting.
"We don't expect a real rapid increase (in costs).. but we can safely project increases on an annual basis," Thorne said. "We are committed to doing everything we can to speed up the (delisting) process, but much of this is out of our hands."
Lundvall responded with a motion - seconded by Commissioner Hale Kreycik - directing the department to withdraw from grizzly bear management in Wyoming until such time as the animal is delisted.
Lundvall has made several, similar motions over his six-year tenure as a commissioner. None have passed, but the votes have been close.
Game and Fish Chief Fiscal Officer Ron Arnold cautioned the commission about getting out of the bear business and noted the board was mandated by statute to pay for grizzly bear damage mitigation.
He said if the commission withdrew management, those grizzly bear damage claims could exceed the anticipated $1 million a year that might be saved by not managing grizzly bears.
Commissioner Mick Powers noted the state has invested millions of dollars in grizzly bear management, research and the drafting of a state management plan.
"Of course, our best case scenario is for the state to manage grizzly bears, and wolves for that matter," he said. "But we have to line up our political ducks in a row ... and do everything we can to get funds for these programs."
Lundvall - whose final meeting is in February as part of the normal rotation on the commission - withdrew the motion after commissioner Linda Fleming promised to make a similar motion at the commission's July meeting if substantial progress on delisting has not been made by then.
USFWS officials told commissioners the agency intends to move forward sometime this year with a delisting petition aimed at removing the grizzly bear's protections under the Endangered Species Act.
"We're at a critical stage in the whole delisting process and we're a lot farther along than we've ever been before," USFWS Regional Deputy Director John Blankenship said. "Give the Service the chance to see in the next several months the direction we're moving in."
He said the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) is scheduled to meet Feb. 4 to finalize the grizzly bear recovery conservation strategy.
"After that meeting, I think we'll see the process start really moving forward," he said.
"It's our intention to move forward with delisting before the end of the calendar year."
But Blankenship added that a "legal challenge" to a delisting petition is almost certain to follow, which could delay delisting for many years.
