[ODFW-News] Public comment period extended for wolf plan revision

[ODFW News]

For Immediate Release Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005

Public comment period extended for wolf plan revision
 
SALEM - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has extended the public
comment period for revisions to the Oregon Wolf Conservation and
Management Plan to ensure that those with an interest in wolves have
sufficient time to provide input, ODFW announced today.
 
The decision was made after the Union County Cattlemen, the Oregon
Cattlemen's Association and the Union County Board of Commissioners made
formal requests, pursuant to ORS 183.335. The law provides for an agency
extension of its intended rulemaking action at the request of interested
parties. 
 
With the new timeline, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission is
scheduled to make a final rulemaking decision on the proposed wolf plan
revisions and associated administrative rules beginning at 1 p.m. during
the Commission's meeting Thursday, Dec. 1, in Salem. 
 
The Commission decided last month to enter rulemaking for a limited
purpose: To propose amending the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management
Plan and move to a new appendix three proposed legislative enhancements
that were not acted on by the 2005 Oregon Legislature. 
 
The elements to be moved, which are the only portion of the plan subject
to public comment, would have: 
* Designated the wolf as a special status mammal under the game mammal
statute,
* Created a state-funded compensation program for livestock killed by
wolves, and 
* Allowed livestock owners without a permit to kill wolves caught 'in
the act' of killing livestock. 
 
If the proposed amendments are adopted by the Commission, the rest of
the plan will remain unchanged. 
The Commission approved the Oregon wolf plan last February after a
comprehensive public involvement effort involving a citizen committee
that met for more than a year to write a draft plan and a four-month
public comment period. 
 
The proposed revisions to the plan and administrative rules, as well as
information considered before the plan was adopted in February 2005 can
be found on ODFW's Web site at  http://www.dfw.state.or.us/wolves/.
 
The official public comment period for rulemaking began Oct. 1. Written
comments on the revisions and draft rules must be submitted no later
than close of business Wednesday, Nov. 30. A final opportunity to offer
verbal testimony will be available during a public hearing at the Dec. 1
Commission meeting at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
headquarters, 3406 Cherry Avenue N.E. in Salem. 
 
Written public comments on the plan revisions will be accepted at the
following locations:
* E-mail: Anne.M.Pressentin at state.or.us.
* Fax: 503-657-2050.
* Mail: ODFW NW Region, 17330 S.E. Evelyn St., Clackamas, OR 97015.
 
Oregon's wolf plan does not call for actively reintroducing wolves from
other states or provinces, but managing wolves that naturally disperse
into Oregon. No wolves are confirmed in Oregon at this time, but
biologists expect wolves to establish a permanent Oregon population as
the Idaho wolf population grows and disperses. Wolves currently are
protected under both the state and federal endangered species acts.
 
Questions regarding the rulemaking process or the plan revisions may be
directed to ODFW by calling Craig Ely at 541-963-2138 or Anne Pressentin
Young at 503-657-2000, Ext. 285.
 
The seven-member Commission is the rulemaking body for fish and wildlife
issues in Oregon. 
 
Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals
requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or
large-print materials at all ODFW public meetings. Individuals needing
these types of accommodations may call the ODFW Director's Office at
800-720-6339 or 503-947-6044 at least 24 hours in advance of the
meeting.
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