The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association is tired of playing defense. It announced it will sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for failing to complete the work needed to remove gray wolves from the endangered species list in the continental United States.
“One comment we’ve gotten through the years is that the cattle industry often tends to be playing defense,” Jerome Rosa, Oregon Cattlemen executive director, told the Capital Press. “Many of our members feel by moving forward with this we are being on the offensive side of things instead of trying to defend what we do.”
The cattlemen claim FWS is legally obligated to carry out a completed environmental analysis within one year after the 2013 publication of its proposed rule to delist, yet nothing has happened since then.
Fellow cattlemen groups from Washington and California may join the effort.