Grizzly bears were hunted to near extinction in the 19th century, pushed out of nearly all of their historic range before receiving federal protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1975. Decades of conservation work have helped the population recover to roughly 1,900 bears in the western United States. That is genuine progress. It is not finished.

A newly proposed federal rule would give states significantly expanded authority over grizzly bear management without establishing clear standards for when that authority is warranted or how it can be revoked. Jake Li, Vice President of Conservation Policy at Defenders of Wildlife, said the rule "punts on important details," leaving real-world outcomes to be determined by later agreements negotiated outside the public rulemaking process. Under this proposal, the decisions that most affect grizzly bears could be made without any public input.

Grizzly bears are not simply low in number. They live in genetically isolated, fragmented populations that cannot recover without connected habitat across a much broader range. A species at that stage of recovery needs consistent, accountable federal oversight, not a patchwork of state decisions made without binding conditions.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting public comments through August 17, 2026. This is the public's opportunity to weigh in before these decisions are finalized.

Sign the petition to demand the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service strengthen this rule with clear, binding standards for state management authority, and ensure grizzly bear recovery is never traded away for administrative convenience.