Dozens of NW lawmakers support delisting of wolves

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – Numerous U.S. House members from the Pacific Northwest have signed a letter in support of the delisting of gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act in the Lower 48 states.

Tuesday’s letter was signed by 34 bipartisan House members and will be submitted as a public comment in the Federal Register.

Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington says the recovery of gray wolves is a success and management should be turned over to the states.

The letter was also signed by Republican Reps. Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher of Idaho; Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington; Greg Walden of Oregon and Greg Gianforte of Montana.

In March, the federal government proposed to strip gray wolves nationwide of their remaining federal protections.

Once nearly extinct, some 6,000 wolves now roam the wild.