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DENVER — Ranchers this week argued the federal government failed to do a sufficient review of the ramifications of the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado, with the case coming under review by a federal judge.
On Friday, Federal Judge Regina M. Rodriguez ruled against the ranchers, saying they had failed to make their case, according to Denver7-ABC.
The reintroduction is set to begin this month on the western side of Colorado. The deadline to begin bringing wolves to the state is part of a ballot initiative that was narrowly approved by voters in 2020.
The suit was brought against Colorado's wildlife agency and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the Gunnison County Stockgrowers' Association and Colorado Cattlemen's Association.
Ranchers argued the federal agency should have done a more thorough environmental analysis of the state's plan to reintroduce about 50 wolves over the next several years.
"Releasing wolves in Colorado is a controversial and irreversible action that will have significant impacts on wildlife and the way of life and livelihoods of rural Coloradans. The rush by the defendants to release a controversial apex predator without preparing an EIS to understand the full impacts of this action is an irreversible action that will harm Plaintiffs and their members," the rancher groups argued in a legal filing.
The Colorado Cattlemen's Association described itself as a nonprofit organization that is the oldest cattlemen's association in the United States, founded in 1867. It says it represents all segments of the beef supply chain and its direct and indirect membership totals an estimated 6,000 producers, individuals and businesses.
The Gunnison County Stockgrowers' Association argued, too, that the "conservation" of wolves will come at the peril of the Gunnison Sage-Grouse, which is federally listed as threatened.
"The Gunnison sage grouse effort involved the expenditure of millions of dollars of private, county and state funds," to help protect and preserve the bird.
A coalition of environmental groups that include the Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians filed a motion to intervene in the case. Environmental and conservation groups have long sought the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado to fill the gap in what they say is an ecosystem out of balance.
The reintroduction of wolves in Colorado, some fear, has ramifications for Utah. In 2020, the Utah House of Representatives passed a resolution making clear the state does not want them here. The measure passed in the state Senate and was signed by the governor.
