Northwest Ecosystem Alliance Press Release
For Immediate Release
April 2004

Re: Grizzly Bear Recovery in the North Cascades Ecosystem

Contacts:
Joe Scott, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance (360) 671-9950 x 11, (360) 319-7056 cell
Bill Snape, Defenders of Wildlife (202) 682-9400

Seattle, April 2004: Northwest Ecosystem Alliance (NWEA) and Defenders of Wildlife served notice of their intent to sue the Department of Interior over its failure to make progress to save the grizzly bear population of Washington’s North Cascades Ecosystem (NCE) from extinction. The groups charge that the federal government is not making a good faith effort to implement the recovery chapter. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that the NCE grizzly bear population could be as low as 5 animals.

“A magnificent part of the natural heritage of the Pacific Northwest is quietly and tragically disappearing while the federal government waits for a sign from God to implement its recovery plan,” said Joe Scott, Director of International Programs at NWEA. “All we want is for these bears to have a fighting chance, nothing more, nothing less.” 

Grizzly Bears are listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act in the lower 48 United States. The North Cascades is one of six official Grizzly Bear Recovery Zones. In recognition of its extremely precarious state, NWEA has twice petitioned the U.S.F.W.S. to “uplist” the North Cascades population to “endangered”. The Service has twice ruled that endangered status was “warranted but precluded” by other obligations under the ESA.    

The conservation groups acknowledge that the recovery subcommittee for the North Cascades has taken necessary steps to pave the way for grizzly recovery including a very thorough analysis to determine habitat effectiveness and financial support for the Grizzly Bear Outreach Project. The independent project seeks to educate citizens about grizzly bear related issues, including grizzly biology, safety, history and recovery. 

The North Cascades Recovery Chapter, which outlines necessary steps for recovery was completed in 1997. The conservationists agree with the agency officials who oversee grizzly recovery that implementation should be guided by the National Environmental Policy Act. The NEPA would allow the FWS service to identify a range of alternatives for grizzly recovery including the augmentation of North Cascades bears with individuals from healthier populations and consider public comment on those options.

“Our groups have always supported a very public, stakeholder process for grizzly bear recovery”, said Bill Snape, a lawyer with Defenders of Wildlife. “However the government must obey the law and start the process if these bears are to avoid extinction.” 

Three polls, the last of which was completed in December 2003 have shown strong support from people who live in and around the North Cascades Recovery zone for grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades even if it involves active augmentation of the struggling population.