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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on Wednesday rejected petitions from Montana and Wyoming seeking to strip Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for grizzly bears in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Instead, FWS proposed reducing the geographic scope of federal protections for the bears and announced plans to revise the 4(d) rule, which would provide more flexible management tools for agencies and landowners dealing with grizzly bear conflicts.

Martha Williams, FWS director, stated that the reclassification would aid grizzly bear recovery and establish a foundation for their eventual delisting from protected status. She emphasized that the new changes would provide agencies more tools to manage human-bear conflicts, crucial to the species' recovery.

However, Montana’s Republican Governor Greg Gianforte and the state's Fish Wildlife & Parks agency criticized FWS’s decision, arguing that the grizzly bear’s full recovery across the Rocky Mountain region should be recognized and managed at the state level. Gianforte also expressed disappointment with the delay in addressing the petitions, which had been pending for years under the Biden administration.

FWS also released an updated species status assessment, which compiles the best available scientific information on grizzly bear populations. The report, produced by FWS biologists in Montana, evaluates the grizzly's future condition using conservation biology principles such as resiliency, redundancy, and representation—collectively referred to as the "3Rs."

The agency’s proposed changes to the 4(d) rule aim to revise the grizzly bear’s listing in the Lower 48 states, encompassing Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming, where grizzly populations are expected to grow. The FWS also noted that distinct populations in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem and Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem do not qualify as valid population segments for delisting.

Environmental groups, including Earthjustice, praised FWS's decision, noting that the best available science shows that grizzly bears have not fully recovered. Drew Caputo, vice president of litigation at Earthjustice, highlighted ongoing threats such as habitat loss, climate change, and human-wildlife conflict, pointing to a record number of grizzly bear deaths in 2024.

FWS is accepting public comments on the proposed rule changes, with a 60-day comment period set to begin after the rule is published in the Federal Register on January 15.