Federal Gray Wolf Public Information Meetings And Hearings Set For Wisconsin

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has scheduled three public information meetings in Wisconsin to provide information on a federal proposal to reclassify most gray wolves in the Great Lakes area from “endangered” status under the Endangered Species Act to the less protective “threatened” status. A public hearing in Wisconsin has also been scheduled to capture comments on the proposal.

These public meetings and hearing follow a national announcement made on July 11, 2000, which addressed the reclassification and delisting of gray wolves across the lower 48 states. Under the proposal, wolves in Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin would be reclassified from endangered to threatened, joining Minnesota wolves in that status.

An open house format will be used at all three meetings, including a slide presentation beginning every half hour. Service staff members will be available to answer questions and discuss the proposal. Representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Native American tribes have also been invited to attend.

Public Information Meetings

Black River Falls, Wisconsin, on August 15, 2000, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Lunda Theater in the Black River Falls Middle School (behind Black River Falls High School), 1202 Pierce Street.

Madison, Wisconsin, on August 16, 2000, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Mitby Auditorium in the Madison Area Technical College (near Madison Airport), 3550 Anderson Street.

Ashland, Wisconsin, on August 17, 2000, from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Northern Great Lakes Center, 29270 County Highway G (three miles west of Ashland).

Public Hearing

Madison, Wisconsin, on October 10, 2000, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Mitby Auditorium in the Madison Area Technical College (near Madison Airport), 3550 Anderson Street.

For more information on the gray wolf reclassification proposal, see the Service’s gray wolf web site at http://midwest.fws.gov/wolf