Kaitlynn Glover, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association executive director of natural resources and Public Lands Council executive director, released the following statement in response to the Department of the Interior’s announcement that the Department will not move forward with the introduction of grizzly bears to the North Cascades ecosystem:

“Secretary Bernhardt’s announcement today is welcome news to local stakeholders across the region who know that the introduction of grizzly bears would be detrimental to their rural communities in the North Cascades. Ranchers and public lands users in these communities face overwhelming losses and impacts from huge gray wolf populations, and when paired with the economic hardship of the coronavirus pandemic, the introduction of yet another apex-predator would prove devastating. We applaud Secretary Bernhardt and his team for relying on science and local voices to guide an important decision.“