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First Substitute S.B. 36

Senator Allen M. Christensen proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
WOLF MANAGEMENT

             2     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Allen M. Christensen

             5     
House Sponsor: Curtis Oda

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill addresses the management of the wolf in the state.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    defines terms;
             13          .    makes legislative findings and declarations concerning the wolf;
             14          .    provides for the Division of Wildlife Resources to request federal removal of
             15      wolves found within areas of the state where the wolf is listed as endangered or
             16      threatened;
             17          .    requires the division to manage the wolf to avoid the establishment of a viable pack
             18      of wolves within the areas of the state where the wolf is not listed as endangered or
             19      threatened;
             20          .    allows the division to make administrative rules concerning the management of
             21      wolves; and
             22          .    makes technical changes.
             23      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          None
             25      Other Special Clauses:


             26          None
             27      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             28      ENACTS:
             29          23-29-101, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             30          23-29-102, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             31          23-29-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             32          23-29-201, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             33          23-29-202, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             34     
             35      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             36          Section 1. Section 23-29-101 is enacted to read:
             37     
CHAPTER 29. WOLF MANAGEMENT ACT

             38     
Part 1. General Provisions

             39          23-29-101. Title.
             40          This chapter is known as the "Wolf Management Act."
             41          Section 2. Section 23-29-102 is enacted to read:
             42          23-29-102. Definitions.
             43          As used in this Chapter:
             44          (1) "Service" means the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
             45          (2) "Wolf" means the species Canis lupus.
             46          Section 3. Section 23-29-103 is enacted to read:
             47          23-29-103. Legislative findings and declarations.
             48          (1) Section 23-14-1 appoints the division as trustee and custodian of protected wildlife
             49      in the state of Utah.
             50          (2) The wolf is listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act
             51      throughout the greater portion of the state.
             52          (3) The service is the federal agency charged with responsibility to administer the
             53      Endangered Species Act.
             54          (4) The service acknowledges that Utah is not critical to the recovery of wolves and
             55      that it does not intend to actively recover wolves in the state.
             56          (5) The division prepared a wolf management plan outlining its management objectives


             57      for the wolf in Utah when the wolf was delisted and removed from federal control.
             58          (6) The wolf management plan prepared by the division was formally submitted to the
             59      service in 2007 for approval.
             60          (7) The service has neither approved, denied, nor otherwise commented on the plan
             61      since receiving it in 2007.
             62          (8) The state formally requested, in writing on multiple occasions, that the service in
             63      delist the wolf throughout Utah, and the service has failed to acknowledge or otherwise
             64      respond to any of the requests.
             65          (9) The state cannot adequately or effectively manage wolves on a pack level in the
             66      small area of the state where the species is currently delisted without significantly harming
             67      other vital state interests, including livestock and big game populations.
             68          (10) It is the policy of the state to legally advocate and facilitate the delisting of wolves
             69      in Utah under the Endangered Species Act and to return wolf management authority to the
             70      state.
             71          Section 4. Section 23-29-201 is enacted to read:
             72     
Part 2. Wolf Management

             73          23-29-201. Wolf Management.
             74          (1) The division shall contact the service upon discovering a wolf in any area of the
             75      state where wolves are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act
             76      and request immediate removal of the animal from the state.
             77          (2) The division shall manage wolves to prevent the establishment of a viable pack in
             78      all areas of the state where the wolf is not listed as threatened or endangered under the
             79      Endangered Species Act until the wolf is completely delisted under the Act and removed from
             80      federal control in the entire state.
             81          (3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to wolves lawfully held in captivity and
             82      restrained.
             83          Section 5. Section 23-29-202 is enacted to read:
             84          23-29-202. Rulemaking.
             85          The division may make administrative rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3,
             86      Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to manage the wolf in accordance with this chapter.


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