Wolf Bill Awaits Governor Brown's Signature

In this short-session of the Oregon legislature, House Bill 4040 passed in both the House and Senate and now sits on Governor Kate Brown's desk would ratify the decision of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to delist the wolf from the sate list of endangered species.

Oregon Cattlemen's Association Wolf Committee Chair and Northeast Oregon Rancher Todd Nash says that some of the very legislators that helped to kill the bill last year, actually were instrumental in getting it passing this time around.

Nash: "Part of the reason was exactly what we've been saying happened. There was a lawsuit by Oregon Wild, Cascadia Wild and Center for Biological Diversity. It was very predictable. I think that they have litigated so many times over so many different things, that they've lost credibility now. They've lost credibility with their legislative supporters. So we saw some of the people that were opposed to it last year, stand up and fight for it this year on the Democratic side. "

The Governor can veto it or signed it. If nothing is done in 30 days after Nash hopes she will sign it into law. He continues

Nash: "We are really just hoping for the best. We don't necessarily have a contingency plan if the worst should happen. It is what it is. But it will be a really hard to tell guys who are living with wolves here to keep playing by the rules and follow the plan. When every time we come to a agreement we get litigated against and then when our Governor has a chance to thurwart that and see the Oregon Wolf Recovery Plan play out. If she chooses to veto it, it becomes a pretty tough sell."