Rehberg Proposes Endangered Species Act Amendment

Montana congressman Denny Rehberg says Montanans are steamed about a federal court decision to relist wolves and he’s proposing changes to the Endangered Species Act. Rehberg's written a bill that would prohibit the “endangered” designation for Grey Wolves in Montana and Idaho. First, however, Rehberg wants the public to look at the bill and offer possible changes. Rehberg’s challenger in the general election generally agrees with the congressman’s idea but he would add language providing compensation to ranchers who lose animals to wolf depredation. Dennis Macdonald says Montana has a good management plan. He says the state is being held hostage by Wyoming’s failure to develop an acceptable plan. [link]

The draft Rehberg bill states, "Any Rocky Mountain gray wolf in Idaho or Montana shall not be treated as an endangered species" and "Each of the States of Idaho and Montana shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the management of Rocky Mountain gray wolves within the borders of that State."

Look how far we have come from the vision of our Founding Fathers of a small federal government with limited and delegated powers to a situation where States can't even management wildlife within their borders unless "permission" is given by the feds.