Ian Brickey, ian.brickey@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is scheduled to hold a hearing on Donald Trump’s nominee to run the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Brian Nesvik, the former head of Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department, was nominated last month by Trump to head the country’s wildlife protection and management agency. His tenure as Wyoming’s top wildlife officer has been marked by controversy, with a rise in disease among the state’s elk herds and questionable policies that would drive wolf and grizzly bear populations to bare minimum numbers. Additionally, he has called for the removal of Endangered Species Act protections for grizzlies in previous congressional testimony.
Nesvik’s nomination seems to advance the anti-wildlife agenda of Donald Trump and his Congressional allies. On Tuesday, the House Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a hearing on two bills that would radically undercut the ability of the federal government to protect imperiled wildlife. One bill, from Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) would force the immediate delisting of gray wolves in the U.S. The other, from Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) would amend the ESA beyond recognition, rendering it effectively toothless to protect species.
In response, Bradley Williams, Sierra Club’s Deputy Legislative Director for Wildlife and Lands Protection, released the following statement:
“Brian Nesvik’s record can speak for itself. He wasted millions of dollars on feed grounds that have made Wyoming’s elk some of the sickest in the nation. Chronic wasting disease, hoof rot, and brucellosis are running rampant through herds. Faced with these crises, he decided to prioritize policies that would brutally cut wolf and grizzly bear populations to the bare minimum. Donald Trump wants to promote him to the highest wildlife job in the land, but that’s the resume of someone who should get a pink slip.
“The truth is, Donald Trump and his allies in Congress have no interest in protecting wildlife. They see the Endangered Species Act as a roadblock to their pro-polluter agenda and are actively trying to dismantle it. The American people overwhelmingly support the ESA, as they have for the last half-century, and they should not tolerate an anti-wildlife zealot having the fate of this country’s iconic species in his hands.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.