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Agency official outlines U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposal on grizzly delisting, public comment window through March
Summary
Quentin Kujala of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks briefed the committee on a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal that would redraw the grizzly-bear 'distinct population segment' polygon and delist many Lower 48 bears outside that area; the Service's public comment period runs Jan. 15–Mar. 17 and a Missoula public meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28; final decision expected Jan. 2026.
Quentin Kujala, chief of conservation policy for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, told the Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Committee the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed a new Distinct Population Segment (DPS) polygon for grizzly bears that differs from the six smaller recovery-area framework used historically.
Kujala summarized the background: grizzly bears were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1975; two recovery populations (the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, NCDE, and the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem) have reached numerical recovery metrics, but the Service's proposal would redraw the recovery geography and would delist grizzly bears outside the proposed DPS polygon while keeping the proposed DPS listed or managed differently.
Kujala emphasized the state is still digesting the proposed rule and that some elements are unclear. He said Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks works with the Service on day-to-day management and noted the state bolstered its regulatory mechanism in the prior legislative session (a reference to Senate Bill 295 on regulatory tools). He said the Service has floated concepts around revisiting the ESA '4(d)' framework for grizzly bears and possible time-limited landowner permits for acute conflict situations.
Public participation details Kujala gave: the Service's comment period opened Jan. 15 and runs through March 17 (public meetings include Jan. 28 in Missoula at the Hilton Garden Inn, 3–8 p.m.), and he said the Service's final decision is expected in January 2026. Kujala urged engagement and said his agency would continue to seek clarification from the Service on how the proposed polygon affects existing conservation strategies.
Committee discussion focused on what the new polygon means for state conservation strategies, whether the proposal delays delisting for recovered populations and how state outreach and local testimony can inform the Service. Kujala described outreach and human-dimension surveys finding a majority of Montanans see a place for grizzly bears in the state but noted heightened concerns where residents experience direct conflict.
Next steps: No committee action. Kujala offered to return and provide further analysis once Fish, Wildlife & Parks has digested the Service's proposal and received more details.
