Dear Representative,

The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) works to turn environmental values into national priorities. Each year, LCV publishes the National Environmental Scorecard, which details the voting records of members of Congress on environmental legislation. The Scorecard is distributed to LCV members, concerned voters nationwide, and the media.

LCV urges you to vote NO on H.R. 6784, the “Manage Our Wolves Act,” which would undermine both the scientific and legal framework of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by legislatively removing protections for most gray wolves across the continental United States under the ESA and preventing judicial review of these delisting actions.

The gray wolf is currently a protected species in most U.S. states under the ESA, and while there have been significant successes in restoring gray wolves to some of their former habitat in some states, gray wolves still only occupy a small portion of their historic range where suitable habitat remains. Rather than allowing the listing process by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service experts to determine ESA safeguards for imperiled species, this bill replaces science-based listing judgements with a political process, hurting both affected species and the ESA, the most effective law to protect species at risk of extinction.

Additionally, H.R. 6784 would codify a 2017 D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to delist gray wolves in Wyoming, while at the same time overturning a unanimous decision by the same court that upheld protections for grey wolves in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Along with legislatively delisting most gray wolves in the continental United States, this bill prevents judicial review of the actions to delist, limiting access to the courts for communities across the country to seek justice and defend our environment.

We urge you to REJECT H.R. 6784. We will strongly consider including the vote on this bill in the 2018 Scorecard. If you need more information, please call my office at (202) 785-8683 and ask to speak with a member of our government relations team.

Sincerely,

Gene Karpinski

President