MINNEAPOLIS, MN (AP)-- A Minnesota Democratic congressman says a push is underway to include language in a catchall spending bill to return responsibility for managing wolf populations in the western Great Lakes region to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Courts have overturned federal efforts to remove the region's wolves from the endangered list. The legislation would bypass the courts.
U.S. Representative Collin Peterson says he's optimistic the provision will make it into the bill, which is expected out this week, but says it's not a done deal.
Katherine Mize, spokeswoman for Republican Representative Reid Ribble of Wisconsin another sponsor of the wolf provision, also says there's a good chance it could move forward.
But Wendy Keefover of the Humane Society of the United States is dismayed, saying wolves have not recovered across their historic range.
