Interior Reopens Public Process to Restore North Cascades Grizzly Bears

SEATTLE – The Department of Interior today announced it is reopening the public comment period around draft environmental review of its North Cascades Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan. The plan, which was originally released in early 2017, generated more than 126,000 public comments.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service previously conducted six public scoping meetings in March 2015, eight public meetings and two webinars in February 2017, and more than 70 additional briefings with tribes, local municipalities, counties, district congressional staff, and other stakeholders.

Statement by Rob Smith, Northwest Regional Director for the National Parks Conservation Association

“The National Parks Conservation Association welcomes the reopened public comment period as the next step towards the goal of restoring grizzly bears, considered the last missing piece of the ecosystem, to the North Cascades.

“Additional opportunities for the public to weigh in on this plan builds on an already thorough scientific analysis and extensive public outreach by the federal agencies. Science confirms grizzly bear restoration is a low risk, high reward opportunity that will both protect the species and guarantee the wild character of the North Cascades for generations to come.”

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About the National Parks Conservation Association: For 100 years, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.3 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org/100.