Boebert Wolf Bill Gets Hearing

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s Trust the Science Act received a hearing in the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-03) stated, “People in the Denver suburbs don’t understand wolf attacks. They see filtered images through the media of cute little wolf pups. But in reality, wolf attacks are gruesome. I have received many letters from families, farmers, and ranchers across Colorado who have reached out to my office since they have nowhere else to turn. I am committed to being rural Colorado’s voice in Congress and finding appropriate management solutions. Gray wolves are fully recovered, should be delisted in the lower 48, and should be managed by states.”

Background:

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert and Congressman Tom Tiffany reintroduced the Trust the Science Act to delist the gray wolf from the federal Endangered Species List and return the issue of wolf management to the states. The Trust the Science Act requires the Secretary of Interior to reissue the 2020 Department of the Interior final rule that delisted gray wolves in the lower 48 United States and ensures that the reissuance of the final rule will not be subject to judicial review by activist judges like the California judge who vacated the rule in 2020 and unilaterally relisted the gray wolf by judicial fiat.

This week, the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries held a hearing on Rep. Boebert’s Trust the Science Act.

Stakeholders that have supported the Trust the Science Act in the 117th Congress or the 118th Congress include: Alaska Farm Bureau Federation, BigGame Forever, Colorado Cattlemen's Association, Colorado Conservation Alliance, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Livestock Association, Colorado Wool Growers Association, Coalition of Arizona/New Mexico Counties for Stable Economic Growth, Douglas Creek Conservation District, FreedomWorks, Hunter Nation, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation, IOTR-International Order of T. Roosevelt, Mid States Wool Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association, Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association, National Rifle Association (NRA), New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, New Mexico Wool Growers Inc., Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, Rio Blanco County Commissioners, Rio Blanco County Farm Bureau, Safari Club International (SCI), Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, Southwestern Colorado Livestock Association, Washington Farm Bureau, Washington State Hunter Heritage Council, Western Caucus, White River Conservation District, Wisconsin Cattleman’s Association, and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.

During the hearing, Congresswoman Boebert gave rural communities a voice and shared stories from Colorado ranchers about wolf attacks. Here are some of their stories:

Mr. Carlos Atencio is a lifelong Colorado native rancher. In December of 2021, his rescue dog “Scooby Doo” had his stomach ripped open by a wolf. Later, in January of 2022, his working cattle dog “Buster” was also killed by a wolf and his other dog “Izzy” was injured. Read more of his story here.

Ms. Donna Sykes has lived in Walden, Colorado for 28 years. With the strict protections for wolves, she is unable to defend her livestock from wolves. Earlier this month, two wolves killed her border collie “Cisco.” The next day, the same two wolves attacked and injured Ms. Sykes’ neighbor’s dog. The dog survived the attack, but later had to be put down since the injuries were too severe. Read more of her tragic account here.

Mr. Don Gittleson is a rancher in Walden, Colorado. In December of 2021, his heifer was the first livestock to be killed by wolves in Colorado in over 70 years. Later, that same pack of wolves killed his neighbor’s dog. In January of 2022, two of his breed cows were injured—one so severely that it had to be put down. In the same month, another was killed. Later, the wolves started targeting his calves, and so far, he has lost six calves to wolves. Read more of his story here.

Ms. Kathi Shoemaker owns cattle and horses in Jackson County, Colorado. She lost a calf to a wolf pack. Despite her best efforts using nonlethal means to scare the wolves off, they would not leave her alone until they killed her calf. Read more of her story here.

Mr. Johnny Schmidt is a ranch manager in Walden, Colorado. In November of 2022, a wolf pack attacked weaned calves on his ranch. He discovered the attack by hearing one of his heifers moaning in pain from its injuries. He then discovered three additional calves that were severely maimed by wolves. Ultimately, all four livestock died. Read more of his story here.

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert has been actively engaged on the wolf issue and her appropriations request for $1 million for the Wolf Livestock Loss Demonstration Project Grant Programto help prevent wolf depredations and also provides compensation to ranchers when their livestock is killed by wolves was signed into law in FY2022 and FY2023.

While the Trust the Science Act doesn’t fully solve Colorado’s unique wolf introduction problem, it does seek to make progress on the issue by removing the federal government from managing this species.

Proposition 114, now codified as Colorado Statute 33-2-105.8, was approved by Colorado voters and requires the state of Colorado to reintroduce gray wolves. Wolves are also listed at the state level in Colorado.

Currently, the Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting comments on a proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado. Comments will be accepted through April 18, 2023. Rep. Boebert will be submitting comments making clear that while she is opposed to introduction of wolves in Colorado, she does support a rule to manage an experimental population of gray wolves in Colorado under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act across the entire state of Colorado. Such action should allow for lethal removal of problem wolves. The Congresswoman also believes there needs to be a mechanism in place to ensure full compensation to livestock producers whose animals are killed by wolves. Finally, the Congresswoman believes a full analysis should be completed under the National Environmental Policy Act prior to any wolves being introduced in Colorado. Such action would take time to complete a thorough analysis and also ensure we know the full scope of consequences and can consider all the alternatives prior to these predators being released within our borders.