The Biden Administration Proposes Reintroducing Grizzly Bears to North Cascades National Park in Washington

The Biden administration has unveiled a proposal to reintroduce grizzly bear populations in the federally-managed North Cascades National Park in northern Washington. The proposal, published in federal filings on Friday by the National Park Service (NPS) and Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), presents three options: two involve actively restoring populations of the threatened apex predator species, while one maintains current management practices as the “no action” alternative. The public is invited to comment on the proposal through mid-November.

“If this part of our natural heritage is restored, it should be done in a way that ensures communities, property, and the animals can all coexist peacefully,” stated Hugh Morrison, the regional FWS director.

Under the plan, NPS and FWS would release up to seven grizzly bears annually into the North Cascades ecosystem over the next 5–10 years. The administration’s goal is to establish a grizzly bear population of approximately 200 bears in the coming decades.

Grizzly bears were once a vital part of the North Cascades ecosystem for thousands of years, but aggressive hunting practices in the 20th century drove the species to near extinction. The last confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in the North Cascades ecosystem was in 1996.

The proposal has faced opposition from Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse, who believes that the reintroduction of grizzlies would be devastating for communities in North Central Washington. Newhouse stated, “Our communities have expressed staunch opposition to the introduction of these apex predators, which would be detrimental to our families, wildlife, and livestock alike.” However, plans to reintroduce grizzly bears to the North Cascades date back years to the Obama administration, and the Trump administration later decided against it.

Environmental groups, on the other hand, have welcomed the proposal, arguing that grizzly bears “clearly belong” in the North Cascades. Andrea Zaccardi, the carnivore conservation legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed her delight, stating, “Grizzly bears once thrived in the North Cascades, and this is a good step toward bringing grizzlies back to this vast, wild area where they clearly belong.”

Thomas Catenacci is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.