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Gov. Mead again calls for the delisting of Grizzly Bears

Governor Matt Mead has written to U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, asking for his help to expedite the de-listing of grizzly bears as an endangered species.

Mead writes that the grizzly populations has recovered in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and have cause property damage and the deaths of four people in the area in the past couple of years.

Mead says the unchecked grizzlies are also costly in a monetary sense.

 "Wyoming pays a lot of money to manage the grizzly bears. In the last about 30 years, it’s been about 35 million dollars. It’s now averaging us about 2 million dollars a year."

Mead says it’s only right that the state should be able to manage the grizzly population.

He adds that Salazar has worked with Wyoming in the past to come up with plans for sage grouse and wolf populations, and he’s optimistic that they can find a solution soon.