Bozeman, Montana – Montana leaders are praising a newly announced federal proposal that could give states greater flexibility in managing growing grizzly bear populations while keeping the species protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Governor Greg Gianforte joined U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Idaho Governor Brad Little, and Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon to announce that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is publishing a proposed rule change aimed at modernizing how grizzly bears are managed in areas where recovery goals have already been achieved.
The proposal would not remove federal protections for grizzly bears. Instead, it would create a new framework that allows states to play a larger role in managing populations that have reached or exceeded recovery benchmarks while the species remains listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Gov. Gianforte said Montana has spent decades working toward the recovery of grizzly bears and believes the state is now prepared to take on more responsibility.
“Thanks to the work of Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and many Montanans over decades, the grizzly bear recovery story is one of America’s great conservation successes,” Gov. Gianforte said. “With this success has come a challenge – bears have expanded into new areas and conflicts have increased with farmers, ranchers, recreationists, and residents. Returning management to the states is a welcome change and Montana is ready to lead to balance conservation and the safety of our communities.”
Growing bear population has increased conflicts across Montana
Federal officials noted that grizzly bears were listed as a threatened species in the lower 48 states under the Endangered Species Act in 1975. At that time, only a few hundred bears remained.
Today, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are now more than 2,000 grizzly bears in the lower 48 states, reflecting decades of conservation work carried out by state wildlife agencies, tribal governments, federal agencies, private landowners, and local communities.
Montana officials said recovery goals have already been met or exceeded in two key recovery areas: the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE).
The proposed federal rule is described as the first major management reform since grizzly bears were originally listed more than five decades ago. If approved, it would establish a tiered management framework allowing Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) greater flexibility in responding to local situations where grizzly populations are thriving.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the proposal reflects years of scientific evidence showing the recovery of the species.
“The science is more than clear: grizzly bears have recovered and far exceeded every federal recovery benchmarks. Today, Interior is returning conservation leadership to the Western states instead of Washington bureaucrats,” Burgum said. “Under the leadership of President Trump, we’re following the science, upholding the law and ending politics masquerading as conservation.”
Federal officials said the revised proposal supports the Trump administration’s goal of reducing unnecessary regulations while allowing states and tribes to play a larger role in wildlife management decisions based on science and local conditions.
Officials also stressed that the proposal does not remove the grizzly bear from the Endangered Species Act, nor does it change existing experimental population designations.
Montana says it is prepared to assume a larger management role
As grizzly bear numbers have grown, encounters between bears and people have also increased throughout Montana. Farmers, ranchers, homeowners, hunters, hikers, and other outdoor recreationists have reported more frequent conflicts as bears expand into new territory.
State officials pointed to those growing challenges as one reason Montana has repeatedly pushed for greater control over bear management.
In December 2021, Gov. Gianforte formally petitioned the federal government to remove grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem from the endangered species list.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined in February 2023 that the petition might have merit and launched a further review. However, after completing that review, the agency denied Montana’s request to delist the population in January 2025.
Although the federal government has continued to oversee the species, much of the day-to-day management has already been handled by specialists with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. Those teams work closely with landowners, ranchers, and communities to monitor bear populations, respond to conflicts, improve public safety, and educate residents about living in bear country.
FWP Director Christy Clark said the agency already has the experience and planning needed to manage the species if additional authority is granted.
“With a statewide management plan in place and our decades of on-the-ground experience, Montana is ready to take over management of grizzly bears,” Clark said. “Our specialists follow the best available science and utilize existing relationships with ranchers, landowners, and recreationalists to maintain conservation efforts while supporting the communities that call grizzly bear country home.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also reopened a 30-day public comment period on the revised proposed 4(d) rule. Officials said the updated proposal revises a version first released in January 2025 and focuses specifically on the rule’s 4(d) provisions. Members of the public will have an opportunity to review the proposal, supporting documents, and submit comments before any final decision is made.
