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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW The Latest: Refuge occupier says members will turn themselves in ... Thieves target health club parking lots, again ... Teen in custody after fight, display of gun puts Butte Falls schools on lockdown ... The Latest: Refuge occupier says members will turn themselves in ... Thieves target health club parking lots, again ... Teen in custody after fight, display of gun puts Butte Falls schools on lockdown ... WILDLIFE Oregon House bill advances removal of gray wolf from endangered list Comment By Kristena Hansen The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Kristena Hansen The Associated Press Posted Feb. 9, 2016 at 3:58 PM By Kristena Hansen The Associated Press Posted Feb. 9, 2016 at 3:58 PM » Social News SALEM — A bill that would uphold the state's contentious decision last year to remove the gray wolf from its endangered species list gained traction at the Legislature on Tuesday. Ratifying the decision in state law could stop a lawsuit by conservationists. Removing wolf protections has drawn thousands of comments from powerful farming and ranching groups who support it and environmentalists who oppose it in a long-running clash in Oregon's political realm. Delisting is not an automatic greenlight for killing wolves, Republican Rep. Sal Esquivel said before voting for House Bill 4040. "This doesn't mean we're going to go out and hunt wolves into extinction again," Esquivel said during a hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources hearing. The measure cleared the committee and now heads to the House floor. Delisting allows the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to consider hunting in the future as one of several tools under its wolf management plan. Hunting is not part of the discussion now. The management plan says the species can lose state protections if certain benchmarks are met that prove extinction is no longer a substantial threat. The commission overseeing the wildlife department voted to take the gray wolf off the state's endangered species list in November, following a recommendation by state biologists. That led three conservationist groups to sue. They want an impartial judicial review of the commission's decision, arguing it failed to follow the best available science or get an independent examination. If the legislation is approved, state law would uphold the commission's decision and negate the request for a review, said Nick Cady, legal director at Eugene-based Cascadia Wildlands, one of the groups that sued. "It's inappropriate because they're depriving the public of its right for judicial review," Cady said. "It's kind of undemocratic." Lawmakers tried to ease the tension through another bill approved in the same hearing Tuesday. It would raise fines for illegally killing various wildlife species, including the gray wolf. By Kristena Hansen The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Kristena Hansen The Associated Press Posted Feb. 9, 2016 at 3:58 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501