Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation v. Babbitt
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
199 F.3d 1224 (2000)
- Written by Erin Enser, JD
Facts
The Department of the Interior (the department) recommended the reintroduction of gray wolves into Yellowstone National Park and central Idaho. An environmental-impact statement was completed, and after public notice and comment, the department published its final experimental-population rules. The rules established an experimental population by reintroducing up to 150 gray wolves into the designated population areas. As required by the Endangered Species Act, the secretary of the interior (the secretary) (defendant) defined the experimental population to include both the reintroduced wolves and any naturally dispersing individuals that existed within the experimental-population areas. Wolves roam hundreds of miles, and some naturally dispersing wolves did exist in the designated experimental-population areas, but no reproducing pairs were found. The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation (the farm bureau) (plaintiff) challenged the rules, and the federal district court struck down the rules, stating that reintroduction of gray wolves into an area with existing naturally dispersing individuals effectively delisted those existing individuals and deprived the naturally dispersing individual wolves of the protections afforded them by the Endangered Species Act. The district court ordered that the reintroduced wolves be removed from the experimental-population areas, but the judgment was stayed pending appeal by the secretary.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Brorby, J.)
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