Gov. Little comments on Biden administration’s refusal to return grizzlies to state management

Boise, Idaho - Governor Brad Little commented today on the Biden administration's refusal to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list as requested by western states.

"Despite a mandate by the American people in November and with fewer than two weeks left in office, the Biden Administration continues to think they know Idaho issues better than Idahoans. By not delisting grizzly bears in the lower 48, the USFWS is rejecting the fact that grizzlies have reached and exceeded recovery criteria years ago. I've instructed the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Office of Species Conservation to fully examine the proposed rule in an attempt to find the rationale behind the USFWS's decision, which seemingly disregards the science and the collective efforts of stakeholders that have led to the successful recovery and conservation of grizzly bears," Governor Little said.

The State of Idaho sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2023 over the Biden Administration's failure to remove grizzly bears from the endangered species list. Additional information on Idaho's previous action is available at: https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/idaho-sues-feds-on-grizzly-delisting/