Washington -- U.S. Representative Barbara Cubin (R-WY) is calling for public meetings to be held in Northern Wyoming to discuss the Department of Interior’s (DOI) proposal to delist the Northern Rocky Mountain Distinct Population Segment of (NRM DPS) of gray wolves. 

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) would be doing a great injustice to the folks who have been severely impacted by gray wolves if the agency fails to schedule meetings in Northern Wyoming to discuss the DOI proposal,” Representative Cubin said. 

The FWS recently scheduled a series of public meetings in six states impacted by the proposal to remove the NRM DPS gray wolves from the federal list of threatened and endangered species.  Currently, a meeting is scheduled to take place in Cheyenne on February 27th.  In a letter sent yesterday to FWS Director H.. Dale Hall, Cubin requested that additional meetings be scheduled in Cody, Pinedale, or a surrounding Northwest Wyoming community. 

“These wolves were re-introduced against the wishes of local and State authorities and have cost Wyoming’s livestock industry hundreds of thousands of dollars due to heavy predation, in addition to significant losses to our big game herds,” Cubin said in the letter.  “I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for my constituents to be given ample opportunity to voice their concerns, ask questions, and be given realistic and honest answers from the FWS in the next several sensitive weeks.” 

On January 29, the FWS released a proposal to de-list the NRM DPS, and the agency is soliciting public comments regarding the proposal for a limited time.  The Wyoming State Legislature continues to debate a plan to manage the NRM DPS gray wolf population. 

A copy of Representative Cubin’s letter is attached.