Pacific Northwest Gray Wolves Relief Act of 2025
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Pacific Northwest Gray Wolves Relief Act directs the Interior Secretary to reissue, within 60 days, the November 3, 2020 final rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. The reissued rule applies only to gray wolf populations in Oregon and Washington. The bill would move those Pacific Northwest wolf populations out of federal endangered-species protections under that rule, shifting more management room to state wildlife agencies while reducing federal ESA constraints on livestock, land, and wildlife management decisions in those states.
Who Benefits and How
Oregon wildlife managers benefit because reissuance gives the state more room to manage gray wolves outside federal ESA listing constraints. Washington wildlife managers benefit for the same reason if the 2020 delisting rule is applied to their gray wolf populations. Ranchers in wolf range benefit if federal listing limits on predator control and livestock-conflict response are reduced. Rural landowners benefit from fewer federal ESA constraints tied to gray wolf populations in Oregon and Washington.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Interior Department endangered species staff must reissue the 2020 delisting rule within 60 days. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists must administer the rule change and coordinate with state wolf programs. Gray wolf conservation advocates bear the burden because federal endangered-species protections would be reduced for Oregon and Washington wolves. Tribal wildlife managers may need to adjust coordination with federal and state agencies after delisting.
Key Provisions
- Requires Interior to reissue the November 3, 2020 gray wolf delisting rule within 60 days.
- Limits the reissued rule to gray wolf populations in Oregon and Washington.
- Reduces federal endangered-species protections for those covered gray wolf populations.
- Expands state wildlife-management room for wolf populations in the two covered states.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Requires the Interior Secretary to reissue the 2020 final rule removing gray wolves from the endangered and threatened species list for gray wolf populations in Oregon and Washington within 60 days.
Key Policy Areas
Wildlife, Endangered Species, State Management
Primary Purpose
Requires the Interior Secretary to reissue the 2020 final rule removing gray wolves from the endangered and threatened species list for gray wolf populations in Oregon and Washington within 60 days.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Oregon wildlife managers
- Washington wildlife managers
- Ranchers in wolf range
- Rural landowners
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Interior Department endangered species staff
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists
- Gray wolf conservation advocates
- Tribal wildlife managers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Bentz (for himself and Mr. Newhouse) introduced the following …
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology