Tell Governor Kate Brown: Don't Turn Your Back on Oregon's Wolves
The Oregon legislature just dealt a deadly blow to the state's struggling wolf population by voting to strip wolves of state endangered species protection. Even worse, the bill, which has passed both the House and Senate, will also block any review of the deadly plan by the courts.
House Bill 4040 not only threatens the long-term survival of the wolf families that are beginning to recover in Oregon, but also sets a dangerous and undemocratic precedent for politicians blocking judicial review of decisions made by another branch of government, in this case, a decision that was made by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission.
In November 2015 the state's Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to strip gray wolves of state endangered species protection, despite having received comment letters from 25 leading scientists noting significant disagreement with delisting, and 10,000 comments from the public, 96 percent of which opposed the delisting.
This latest move will shut the door on any chance of overturning the Commission's misguided decision.
We cannot let this happen.
Take action -- urge Governor Kate Brown to protect Oregon's wolves and veto H.B. 4040.
Dear Governor Kate Brown,
I'm writing to urge you to veto House Bill 4040. This bill would strip Oregon's gray wolves of protection under the state's endangered species law, and, even worse, it would prohibit any judicial review of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission’s decision to delist wolves. This bill is an affront to democracy and to the people of Oregon, who have shown time and again that they support gray wolf recovery in the state. The bill caters to a narrow group of ranching and hunting interests who want to see wolves eradicated from the state. By prohibiting courts from reviewing controversial policy, the bill sets a dangerous precedent.
[Your comment will be added here]
In the end it is science and the law, not political cronyism, that should decide wolves' fate in Oregon. The Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to strip gray wolves of state protection in 2015 despite having received comment letters from 25 leading scientists noting significant disagreement with delisting, and 10,000 public comments, 96 percent of which opposed the delisting. Clearly, science and the vast majority of Oregonians are on the wolves' side.
Governor Brown, please do the right thing -- stand up for democracy and for Oregon's wolves by vetoing H.B. 4040.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
