Oregon Public Broadcasting

Idaho’s governor and four Congressional members are urging President Obama to allow gray wolves to be moved off of the Endangered Species List. Inland Northwest Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

Last week, the Obama administration suspended a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service move to declare the wolf recovered in Idaho and Montana.

This week, five Idaho elected officials responded by sending the president a letter. They urged him to approve the agency’s move.

One of the five is Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick. Spokesman John Foster says Minnick believes the Idaho wolf management plan that would replace federal protection is a good alternative.

John Foster: “This wolf management plan isn’t perfect. It has its detractors. It has its supporters. But the important thing here is that it was an Idaho solution and it’s one Walt supports.”

The Idaho solution would create a hunting season to reduce the growing numbers of wolves. Environmental groups hope the president will take an alternate route and order the delisting process to start over.