With a bevy of new federal bills filed this week, Rep. Harriet Hageman is looking to reverse the outcomes of three high-profile Wyoming public land and wildlife issues that have made headlines in the waning weeks of the Biden administration.
The sophomore representative from Fort Laramie introduced companion pieces of legislation on Tuesday that would prohibit the implementation of Bureau of Land Management resource management plans for its Rock Springs and Buffalo field offices. Then on Thursday, she introduced a bill that would require the U.S. Department of Interior to delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from the Endangered Species Act — the opposite of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s just-released plans, which continue federal protections.
She’s attempted to pass all three bills before.
All failed, though they now face better prospects in the 119th Congress, which includes Republican majorities in both chambers and a president who’s more likely to sign them into law.
Hageman’s staff did not respond to WyoFile’s interview requests for this story. On grizzly bears, she told the Federalist, a conservative publication, that Fish and Wildlife’s “refusal to delist the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear is just the latest example of the agency’s utter failure to follow the intent and purpose” of the Endangered Species Act.
Past attempts
Hageman’s new legislation wasn’t unexpected.
Nearly two years ago, she ran a similar bill, the Grizzly Bear State Management Act, that would have required federal wildlife officials to delist Yellowstone-region grizzlies.
Although Hageman blasted the Fish and Wildlife’s grizzly bear plans, other members of Congress praised the proposed policy changes.
“The compounding threats of climate change and politically motivated state policies have the potential to decimate grizzly bear populations and dramatically impact their habitats,” Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California) said in a statement. “I’m glad the Fish and Wildlife Service understands these threats, has listened to stakeholders and scientists, and decided to maintain Endangered Species Act protections for this iconic species.”
Hageman also attempted to override the BLM’s planning process for 3.6 million acres of federal land in southwest Wyoming during the last Congress. Her effort was opposed by BLM officials, with Deputy Director Nada Wolff Culver telling lawmakers the legislation “would undermine the public’s right to provide input on the management of public lands, as well as the BLM’s ability to steward them.”
Plans in crosshairs
Dissatisfaction with the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan revision intensified in December when the agency finalized its update without making any changes requested by the state of Wyoming.
There’s also been speculation that Hageman and other lawmakers could be eyeing the Congressional Review Act as a vehicle for discarding the Rock Springs plan.
Hageman similarly tried and failed to throw out BLM’s resource management plan for the Buffalo Field Office during the last time Congress was in session. The revision has proven controversial in Wyoming because the federal agency decided to phase out coal leasing in the Powder River Basin — a decision that Wyoming answered with a lawsuit.
Hageman this week was named chairwoman of the House Committee on Natural Resources’ Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee. Remarking on the appointment on social media, the representative said that she was “honored.”
“I look forward to working with my colleagues on Natural Resources to return wildlife and resource management to local control,” Hageman posted.
Why do Republicans always want to destroy the environment and wildlife, how much money did she get from the lobbyists
Wow, I did not realize that there are so many vegetarians in Wyoming, and that they hate the idea of plenty of meat being produced by ranchers. You folks are very lucky to be able to poo the loss of around a thousand dollars everythime wolves kill a cow, some less for a sheep. Perhaps those who thrill to the sight of an animal being eaten alive could buy their own ranch and livestock and have a clkose up view.
I grew up in the 40s and 50s and lost a couple of lambs being raised so I could go to college eaten by coyotes. Can’t imagine dealing with loss to wolves also…or maybe I do, which is why I write this.
Her responses to my letters are very condescending and vapid, never addressing the issue raised. She is from my district here in Wyoming, where she’s long had a reputation as a conspiracy theorist, impervious to logic and facts. (Sigh)
Wyomings three clowns
This appointment is like putting a fox in charge of the chicken house (with apologies to foxes and chickens). What a sad joke.
Consider all Natural Resources moving to local control. (State Control) of any resource including Water. In drier years (low Snow packs), Wyoming would retain, build reservoirs and hold back waters from downstream users. Bureau of Reclamation, BLM, Interior, goes away and so does NPS, USF&W. Wyoming the loses Payment in Lieu of Taxes. Ask a County Commissioner/Sheriff/Tres. what they think.
Wyoming with attitudes like this have gone too far to the right. We just want to throw wildlife under the bus even though that’s why many of us live here.
No!!! This can’t be happening! Hageman is the least qualified for this position. Her motto is kill kill kill. Her pro kill anti wildlife bills must be stopped!
Has anyone ever seen Harriet and George Santos in the same place together?
That being said, Wyoming and Montana do need a quota based Grizzly hunt, ASAP.
Sophmore – ‘sophmoric’ would be more apt description of Rep. Hageman’s approach to public lands. Sad to see such position of influence held by someone so tied to the incoming administration.
Hageman’s most endearing quality is her utter incompetence. She’d be a real threat to the West if she could do more than mumble Fox Newz approved talking points. A near perfect rep for the modern WY backrow.
Letting politicians like Ms. Hageman make decisions about the Endangered Species is like going to a plumber for open heart surgery. Please just let the experts handle these things.
Bear are protected so get over yourselves!!!! Experts said no to delisting so let it alone! Hageman – you need to realize that trophy hunting is NOT a popular pastime anymore! STOP TRYING TO GO AGAINST THE EXPERTS – NOT READY FOR DELISTING!
No wonder humanity is in so much trouble.
How many stocks does she own in oil and gas? That will give you the reason why she’s not interested in preserving the environment and animal resources.
What a swamp of corrupt Republicans? There’s always commonsense approach to this without decimating the environment or animals.
Wyoming’s consummate idiot – Harriet Hageman.
BLM needs to concentrate on getting people back into working in the offices. They sit nearly empty in Cody/Buffalo.
Hageman is the queen of the goofballs.
I am tired of all the harassment of our wildlife! And Wyoming is the worse of all! They show Wild Horse running across the land to encourage vacationing in Wyoming. Then they turn around and round them up off our Public Lands! And many were sold to kill buyers or sent directly to slaughter in Mexico! And they have been trying to delist the Grizzly so they can hunt them down! And recently they published some scattered brained idea about opening a hunting season the poor little River Otters! Don’t they have enough animals hunt down! As an American the Public Lands belong to all of us! And not just the individual states! So it’s not appropriate to just turn land over to the states! So the Representative is off in my estimation! And even if they gave me an all expense paid vacation to Wyoming, I wouldn’t go! They are not a very friendly state!
Good. Stay away – please!!