Memorial to denounce wolf recovery plan heads to House floor

A House memorial that would seek to put Mexican Wolf populations under the control of the state instead of the federal government is headed to the House floor. The House Agriculture, Water and Wildlife Committee voted in favor of HM 117 by a vote of 7 to 2. The memorial, sponsored by Rep. Andy Núñez, R-Hatch, calls on Governor Susana Martinez to denounce the federal Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan and for the state to take over the wolf recovery programs. An example of how polarized the topic is materialized during the committee meeting when the bill’s sponsor made his feelings known about wolves. Rep. Bill McCamley, D-Mesilla Park, asked Núñez if he wanted to see the Mexican Wolf population completely eliminated. Núñez answered with a quick “yes.” McCamley went on to ask Nunez if he wanted all of “God’s creatures” to be eliminated. Besides McCamley, the only other dissenting vote for the memorial came from Rep. Bealquin “Bill” Gomez, D-La Mesa. He told the committee that he knows that wolves pose a problem to livestock, but that he was worried about the possibility of wiping out the entire Mexican Wolf population. The memorial will now head to the House floor for debate. “Not all of them, just the wolves,” Núñez answered...more