CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis and others in Congress continue to push the U.S. Dept. of Interior to end federal protections for wolves nationwide.

Lummis, a Republican, and others in Congress this week wrote to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell calling on them to implement a stalled federal plan to end protections for wolves under the federal Endangered Species Act. The lawmakers claim healthy wolf populations justify ending protections.

In response to environmental challenges, federal courts recently have reinstated protections for wolves in Wyoming, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. State appeals of the court rulings are pending while legislation also is pending in Congress to reverse the court decisions.

Meanwhile, others in Congress have warned Jewell that bowing to political pressure to strip protections from wolves would undercut the Endangered Species Act.

 

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