HR 1819
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1819
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide for State
management of population segments of gray wolves in the United States, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 10, 2011
Mrs. MILLER of Michigan (for herself, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. MATHESON, Mrs. LUMMIS,
Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. KLINE, and Mr. BENISHEK) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide for State
management of population segments of gray wolves in the United States, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `State Wildlife Management Act of 2011'.
SEC. 2. STATUS OF POPULATION SEGMENTS OF GRAY WOLVES.
(a) Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
`(j) Status of Gray Wolves-
`(1) STATUS OF NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTINCT POPULATION SEGMENT-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including
regulations), any gray wolf that is located in any State that is within
the range of the Northern Rocky Mountain distinct population segment or
anywhere in the State of Nevada or Colorado shall not be treated as an
endangered species or threatened species and shall not be subject to this
Act, except as provided in subparagraph (B).
`(B) STATE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY-
`(i) Each of the States that is within the range of the Northern Rocky
Mountain distinct population segment, and each of Nevada and Colorado,
may manage all gray wolves within its boundaries for so long as there
are at least 450 gray wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain distinct
population segment.
`(ii) If the number of gray wolves in such segment is less than 450
gray wolves, as demonstrated by the Secretary of the Interior, gray
wolf populations within the Northern Rocky Mountain distinct population
segment shall be temporarily treated as an endangered species or threatened
species, as determined by the Secretary, and clause (i) shall not apply,
until the Secretary determines that the number of gray wolves in such
segment is equal to at least 450 during 2 consecutive years.
`(2) STATUS OF WESTERN GREAT LAKES DISTINCT POPULATION SEGMENT-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of the law (including
regulations), any gray wolf that is located in any State that is within
the range of the Western Great Lakes distinct population segment shall
not be treated as an endangered species or threatened species and shall
not be subject to this Act, except as provided in subparagraph (B).
`(B) STATE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY-
`(i) Each of the States that is within the range of the Western Great
Lakes distinct population segment may manage all gray wolves within
its boundaries for so long as the number of gray wolves within its boundaries
is--
`(I) for Minnesota, at least 1,200;
`(II) for Michigan, at least 150; and
`(III) for Wisconsin, at least 150.
`(ii) If the number of gray wolves in such a State is less than the
number specified for the State in clause (i), as demonstrated by the
Secretary of the Interior, gray wolf populations in that State that
are part of the Western Great Lakes distinct population segment shall
be temporarily treated as an endangered species or threatened species,
as determined by the Secretary, and clause (i) shall not apply with
respect to that State, until the Secretary determines that the number
of gray wolves in such State is equal to at least that number during
2 consecutive years.
`(3) STATUS OF ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO GRAY WOLF-
`(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding any other provision of the law (including
regulations) any gray wolf that is located in Arizona or New Mexico shall
not be treated as an endangered species or threatened species and shall
not be subject to this Act, except as provided in subparagraph (B).
`(B) STATE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY-
`(i) Each of the States of Arizona and New Mexico may manage all gray
wolves within its boundaries for so long as the combined total number
of gray wolves in those States is at least 100 gray wolves.
`(ii) If the combined total number of gray wolves in those States is
less than the number specified in clause (i), as demonstrated by the
Secretary of the Interior, gray wolf populations in those States shall
be temporarily treated as an endangered species or threatened species,
as determined by the Secretary, and clause (i) shall not apply with
respect to those States, until the Secretary determines that the combined
total number of gray wolves in those States is equal to at least that
number during 2 consecutive years.
`(4) DEFINITIONS- In this subsection:
`(A) GRAY WOLF- The term `gray wolf' means any taxonomic group traditionally
associated with the gray wolf, including Canus lupus, Canus lupus lycaon,
and Canus lupus baileyi, regardless of specific taxonomy of any particular
gray wolf variety as a species, subspecies, or other designation.
`(B) NORTHERN ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTINCT POPULATION SEGMENT- The term `Northern
Rocky Mountain distinct population segment' means the distinct population
segment of gray wolf described by the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service in the final rule entitled `Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants; Final Rule Designating the Northern Rocky Mountain Population
Segment of Gray Wolf as a Distinct Population Segment and Removing the
Distinct Population Segment From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife' (73 Fed. Reg. 10514 (February 27, 2008)).
`(C) WESTERN GREAT LAKES DISTINCT POPULATION SEGMENT- The term `Western
Great Lakes distinct population segment' means the distinct population
segment of gray wolf described by the United States Fish and Wildlife
Service in the Final Rule to Delist Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes Distinct
Population Segment, as published February 8, 2007 (72 Fed. Reg. 6052).'.
END
