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Local residents explode at Biden officials over plan to release grizzly
bears near their communities
'If any grizzly bear comes around my place, I'm shooting it,' one
resident told federal officials
Thomas Catenacci By Thomas Catenacci Fox News
Published November 8, 2023 4:00am EST

Dozens of local residents in northern Washington recently voiced their
strong opposition to a Biden administration plan to release grizzly
bears, an apex predator, in a federally-managed forest area near their
communities.

More than 200 local residents attended a public comment session in
northern Washington hosted by the Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and
National Parks Service (NPS), with roughly 50 speaking in opposition of
the federal grizzly bear proposal and just six voicing their support.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., who represents local communities, was among
the speakers voicing concerns about the plan's potential consequences.

"As a farmer, I worry not only about the bears destroying my crops, but
for the safety and well-being of myself, my family, and my on-farm
hands," Newhouse remarked during the session. "It is clear you all know
that grizzlies can and probably will move out of the zone in which you
drop them in, yet rather than letting common sense prevail, are
continuing to push forward with this dangerous plan."

"So tell me, what is the agency’s plan for dealing with crop loss and
livestock depredation that is inevitable from the introduction of these
predators? What is the timeline for issuing lethal permits? And how much
will citizens have to lose before they can defend themselves from this
predator in their backyard?" he continued.

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Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., the chairman of the Congressional Western
Caucus, speaks during a public comment session last week.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., the chairman of the Congressional Western
Caucus, speaks in opposition of the Biden administration plan to release
grizzly bears near Washington communities during a public comment
session last week. (Courtesy of Rep. Dan Newhouse)

In late September, the NPS and FWS proposed the rule and draft
environmental impact statement opening the door to release the apex
predator in North Cascades National Park in northern Washington along
the U.S.-Canada border. The proposal was cheered by left-wing eco groups
but criticized by local lawmakers like Newhouse and residents.

Under the proposal, the federal government would release up to seven
grizzly bears annually into the North Cascades ecosystem over the course
of the next five to 10 years. The federal government's overarching goal
would be to establish a grizzly bear population of roughly 200 bears in
the coming decades.

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"There's not the habitat up there for the grizzly bear. There never has
been and there never will be," one resident said during the comment
session last week, according to video obtained by Fox News Digital. "So,
you're going to put grizzly bears there, what are they going to do?
They're going to get right out in the winter. They're going to go right
down in Mazama and they're going to go down in the rest of the area
because they're not going to stay up there. So, I'm opposed to it
completely."

"If you're not willing to accept responsibility for what goes down in
this county from the actions that you take, you have no business taking
those actions," another resident said, addressing the federal officials
in attendance.

An estimated 200 residents participated in the comment session hosted by
federal officials to hear feedback regarding the propoisal to release
grizzly bears in a nearby forest area.
An estimated 200 Washington residents participated in the in-person
comment session hosted by federal officials to hear feedback regarding
the proposal to release grizzly bears in a nearby forest area. (Courtesy
of Rep. Dan Newhouse)

The federal plan released in September includes three options, two that
would involve actively restoring populations of the threatened grizzly
bear species and one "no action" alternative that would maintain current
management practices. As part of the announcement, the public is invited
to comment on the proposed actions through mid-November.

Hugh Morrison, the regional FWS director, said grizzly bears are part of
the region's heritage and restoring them could be done in a way that
ensures communities, residents and animals "can all coexist peacefully."

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According to the NPS, Grizzly bears occupied the North Cascades and
served as an "essential part of the ecosystem" for thousands of years.
However, in the 20th century, as a result of aggressive hunting
practices, the species was driven into near extinction and the last
confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in the North Cascades ecosystem was
in 1996.

"Nobody needs grizzlies, nobody needs wolves," another resident added
during the event last week. "And the thing we need even less than that
is the Department of Fish and Wildlife. These guys know nothing about
fish, they don't care about wildlife. All they want to do is ruin the
most important people, which is farmers and ranchers who grow our food.
There's no reason for these people, there's no reason for grizzly bears."

"If any grizzly bear comes around my place, I'm shooting it," he said.

The Biden administration proposed a plan on Sept. 29 to release up to
seven grizzly bears annually into the North Cascades ecosystem in
northern Washington over the course of the next five to 10 years. (Getty
Images)

Another resident, an 80-year-old man who said he frequently hunts in the
area, said the federal officials who proposed the grizzly release plan
are "super book smart, but dumber than hell" when it comes to
on-the-ground conditions facing citizens.

While the plan would release grizzly bears near communities, according
to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, unintentionally
or intentionally killing a grizzly bear in the state can result in
massive fines and penalties since the species is listed as federally
threatened and state-listed as endangered.

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"We have previously provided extensive comments opposing grizzly bear
reintroduction into our local communities," the commissioners of Chelan
County, Washington, which is located near North Cascades, wrote to the
NPS in December. "We continue to oppose grizzly bear reintroduction
given the likely negative impacts to public safety, economic
development, recreation opportunities and the overall livelihood of our
rural communities."

"The federal agencies leading this effort have generally failed to
address these concerns and have failed to engage in any meaningful way
Chelan County and other neighboring counties in the proposed grizzly
bear restoration area," they added in their letter.

A grizzly bear of Yellowstone Park
A grizzly bear is photographed at the at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery
Center in West Yellowstone, Montana. While grizzly bears — which are
apex predators — are classified as a threatened species in Washington,
they are not in danger of extinction. (Trevor Hughes / USA TODAY NETWORK)

Plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades dates back to
the Obama administration. Then, after significant state opposition led
by Newhouse, the Trump administration concluded that grizzly bears would
not be restored in the ecosystem.

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Former Interior Secretary David Bernhardt noted in July 2020 that
grizzly bears are not in danger of extinction and that his agency could
manage populations across their existing range.

However, late last year, following extensive litigation from
environmental groups, the Biden administration announced it would again
review whether to move forward with restoration, a process that led to
the proposal in September.

Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.