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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 Moon rises Sunday in rare convergence of supermoon and lunar eclipse ... Police say man involved in carwash crash was getaway driver in recent bathroom gun robbery ... Man jailed after alleged Rogue River shooting incident ... Moon rises Sunday in rare convergence of supermoon and lunar eclipse ... Police say man involved in carwash crash was getaway driver in recent bathroom gun robbery ... Man jailed after alleged Rogue River shooting incident ... WILDLIFE US Rep. Newhouse proposes ending protection for wolves Conservation group spokesman calls the move 'disappointing' Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 24, 2015 at 5:41 PM By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 24, 2015 at 5:41 PM » Social News YAKIMA, Wash. — Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse has introduced a bill to remove the gray wolf from Endangered Species Act protections in Washington, Oregon and Utah. Removing wolves from the list is "long overdue" and would allow state wildlife officials to manage wolves more effectively, said Newhouse, a freshman who represents central Washington. The Yakima Herald-Republic reported Friday that the bill would also prevent states from providing wolf protections that are stronger than those found in the federal Endangered Species Act. A spokesman for Conservation Northwest, which works on wolf recovery issues, called the bill disappointing. Chase Gunnell said there are only a few wolves receiving federal protection in Washington and Oregon. "We're talking about 12 wolves in Washington and another six or so in Oregon," Gunnell said. "Until those Cascade wolves are on stronger footing, we think it's important to protect them." Decades after being wiped out, Washington's wolf population is growing as the animals move in from Idaho and Canada. The population is estimated at about 68 animals in 16 known packs, mostly in the northeast corner of the state, according to a recent report from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Wolves remain on the state's endangered species list. But on the federal level, the state is split into two separate wolf populations. In the eastern third of the state, wolves are considered part of the Northern Rocky Mountain population, which was removed from the endangered list in 2011. But in the western two-thirds of the state, wolves are considered part of the Pacific Northwest population, which is much smaller and still listed as endangered. "States are fully qualified to manage gray wolf populations responsibly and are better equipped to meet the needs of local communities, ranchers, livestock and wildlife populations," Newhouse said in press statement. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Rep. Chris Steward, R-Utah, co-sponsored the bill. Washington's management plan sets a target of 15 known breeding pairs — with at least three located in each region of the state — as the point when the species can be considered recovered. Currently, the state has five known breeding pairs. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Apr. 24, 2015 at 5:41 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 2015 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