Reid Ribble: “I include in the Record, in light of the gentleman from Oregon's comments, a letter from the Fish and Wildlife Service…”

“I include in the Record, in light of the gentleman from Oregon's comments, a letter from the Fish and Wildlife Service supporting this amendment. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bloomington, Minnesota, January 30, 2015. Hon. Reid J. Ribble, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Ribble: Thank you for your January 16, 2015, letter to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) Director Dan Ashe and to me regarding the Service's views on the status of gray wolf populations in the states of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, as well as our view on state management of gray wolves since the Western Great Lakes Distinct Population Segment (DPS) was removed from Endangered Species Act protection in 2011. An identical letter is being sent to each member who signed the original correspondence. Director Ashe has asked that I respond on his behalf. Most of the information provided below is taken from the 2014 report on post-delisting status of gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes DPS (enclosed). Enclosed, you will also see our gray wolf post-delisting monitoring plan for the Western Great Lakes DPS. Our post-delisting monitoring plan used the recovery goals in the 1992 Recovery Plan for the Eastern Timber Wolf to identify the population characteristics that needed monitoring as well as to identify circumstances that could prompt closer scrutiny by the Service and potential consideration of relisting.…”