The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a revised proposal that would give Western states greater flexibility to manage grizzly bears in areas where populations have supposedly reached or exceeded federal recovery goals. The proposal would not remove grizzly bears from protection under the Endangered Species Act but would expand the ability of state wildlife agencies to respond to conflicts while maintaining federal safeguards.
The announcement was made in Bozeman by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum alongside officials from Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, as well as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik.
Grizzly Bear Recovery Drives Proposed Changes
Grizzly bears in the lower 48 states have been listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1975. According to the Interior Department, decades of conservation efforts involving state agencies, tribes, federal partners, private landowners, and local communities have helped several populations recover beyond the original federal benchmarks.
The revised proposal focuses on areas where those recovery targets have been achieved. Federal officials say the change would give wildlife managers more tools to address conflicts involving bears while continuing long term conservation efforts. The proposal does not change the legal status of grizzly bears under the Endangered Species Act. Existing experimental population designations would also remain unchanged.
Wildlife Managers Face Growing Challenges
As grizzly populations have expanded into new areas, encounters with people have become more common. Wildlife officials across the Northern Rockies have reported increasing conflicts involving livestock, agricultural operations, recreation, and residential communities.
Supporters of the proposal argue that additional state management authority would allow wildlife agencies to respond more effectively to these situations while maintaining healthy bear populations. The Interior Department says the updated rule is intended to reflect the current status of recovered populations without ending federal protections.
The announcement also received support from several elected officials in Montana, including Governor Greg Gianforte and members of the state’s congressional delegation, who described the proposal as recognition of decades of successful conservation work.
Public Comment Period Reopens
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening a 30 day public comment period on the revised proposal. The updated rule revises only the federal 4(d) provisions that govern management flexibility for threatened species. Other portions of the broader January 2025 proposal are not being reopened for additional comment.
The agency says the revised proposal is designed to balance continued grizzly bear conservation with practical wildlife management as populations continue to grow across parts of the American West. The proposed rule and supporting documents are available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website, where members of the public can also submit comments before the review period closes.