Wolf - Western Great Lakes
Midwest Region

 

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Gray Wolves in the Western Great Lakes

Archive of Previous Federal Actions that have Affected the Endangered Species Act Status of Gray Wolves

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Photo by Corel Corporation

 

Below is a chronological list of previous Federal Actions that have affected the Endangered Species Act status of the gray wolf in the Midwest with links to more information about each specific action.

 

bullet Dec. 19, 2014: Due to a Federal court decision, wolves in the western Great Lakes area (including Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) were relisted under the Endangered Species Act, effective December 19, 2014.

 

bulletDec. 28, 2011: Final Rule to delist the Western Great Lakes DPS - Revising the Listing of the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) in the Western Great Lakes

 

bulletAug. 26, 2011: Comment Period Reopens on Proposal to delist Western Great Lakes DPS

 

bulletMay 5, 2011: Proposal to delist Western Great Lakes DPS, revise the gray wolf listing by removing 29 other states from gray wolf range, and announcement of a National Wolf Strategy

 

blue bulletApril 21, 2010: Fish and Wildlife Service Invites Comment on Applications for Permits for Wolf Activities in Michigan and Wisconsin
      News Release
      Background Information

 

blue bullet September 16, 2009: Reinstatement of Protections for the Gray Wolf in the Western Great Lakes in Compliance with Settlement Agreement and Court Order A court order and settlement agreement restored Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf in the western Great Lakes on July 1, 2009; this final rule corrects the gray wolf listing status in our regulations.

 

blue bulletJuly 1, 2009: Delisting Withdrawn to Provide Opportunity for Public Comment

 

blue bulletApril 2, 2009: Final Rule to Delist Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS

 

blue bulletMarch 6, 2009: Secretary Salazar Affirms Decision to Delist Gray Wolves in Western Great Lakes, Portion of Northern Rockies

News Release

 

blue bullet January 20, 2009: Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff, issued a memorandum that directed federal agencies to withdraw all regulations that had not been published in the Federal Register so that they can be reviewed and approved by a department or agency head appointed by the President. Therefore, the final rule to delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS (which was announced on Jan. 14) was withdrawn to allow for further review.

 

blue bullet January 14, 2009 Announcement that Final Rule to Delist Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS will be published

 

blue bulletDec. 12, 2008: Department of Interior Solicitor's Opinion in response to Judge's Opinion - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Authority under Section 4(c)(l) of the Endangered Species Act to Revise Lists of Endangered and Threatened Species to Reflect Recent Determinations (PDF)

 

blue bullet Dec. 11, 2008 Reinstatement of Protections for the Gray Wolf in the Western Great Lakes and Northern Rocky Mountains in Compliance With Court Orders (Dec. 11, 2008) This final rule reinstates Endangered Species Act protection to gray wolves in the upper Midwest (i.e., western Great Lakes states) and northern Rocky Mountains as ordered by the courts as a result of two lawsuits. This action is effective December 11, 2008. However, the court orders had legal effect immediately upon their filing on July 18, 2008, September 29, 2008, and October 14, 2008.

 

blue bulletSeptember 29, 2008 - Court ruling places Gray Wolf - Western Great Lakes DPS back under ESA protections

 

blue bullet February 2008 - Final Post-delisting Monitoring Plan for the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment of the Gray Wolf

 

blue bullet June 4, 2007 - Draft Post-delisting Monitoring Plan Available for Review and Comment

 

blue bullet March 12, 2007 - Final Delisting Becomes Effective

 

blue bullet February 8, 2007 - Final Rule to Delist the Gray Wolf Western Great Lakes DPS

 

bullet August 9, 2006 - Judge rules against the Service in court case brought by the Humane Society of the U.S. and others that challenged permits issued to Michigan and Wisconsin for use of lethal measures to control wolf depredations.

 

blue bulletMay 2006 - Permits were issued to the Michigan DNR and the Wisconsin DNR to take wolves for depredation control. We were then sued for issuance of those permits. We lost the case and the permits were void. We are appealing the court's decision.

 

blue bulletMarch 2006 - Proposed Rule to Delist the Gray Wolf Western Distinct Population Segment

 

blue bulletDecember 2005 - Department of Interior declines to appeal Oregon and Vermont Court decisions

 

bulletSeptember 2005 - Michigan and Wisconsin Departments of Natural Resources apply for permits to use lethal measures to control depredations

 

blue bulletAugust 2005 - Vermont court ruling overturns 2003 Final Rule and eliminates gray wolf Eastern Distinct Population Segment (PDF)

 

blue bulletJanuary 2005 - Oregon court opinion overturns 2003 final rule and nullifies the 2004 delisting proposal

 

blue bullet2004 - Proposal to delist the gray wolf Eastern Distinct Population Segment

 

blue bullet2003 - Final Rule to designate 3 Distinct Population Segments and change the ESA status of the gray wolf throughout most of the lower 48 States

 

blue bullet2000 - Proposal to change the ESA status of the gray wolf throughout most of the lower 48 States

 

blue bullet1978 - Reclassification of the Gray Wolf in the United States and Mexico, with Determination of Critical Habitat in Michigan and Minnesota (PDF)

 

blue bullet1974 - Gray wolf listed as endangered in the lower 48 States and Mexico

 

 

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Last updated: September 12, 2016