Wyoming’s U.S. senators say they’re tired of waiting for Wyomingite Brian Nesvik to be confirmed as the next chief of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which could likely seal a long-awaited delisting of grizzly bears in the Lower 48.
Nesvik’s seemingly certain appointment as head of Fish and Wildlife (FWS) comes in tandem with Wyoming U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman’s push to delist grizzlies through an act of Congress.
Nesvik, the former director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, is one of more than 130 Trump nominees waiting for confirmation by the Senate.
During his tenure leading Wyoming Game and Fish, Nesvik openly advocated for grizzlies to be delisted from federal protection and managed by Game and Fish and other state agencies.
His successor, Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce, also hasn’t been bashful about advocating for grizzly delisting.
In February, she told Wyoming state legislators that “the stars are aligned” for grizzlies to be delisted, and for it to stick this time.
With the two-pronged approach of Nesvik likely taking the lead at FWS and Hageman’s bill, her prediction could soon come true.
Senators: Enough With The Delays
Trump has urged the Senate to skip at least some of its scheduled August recess to get through a long list of Trump nominees who haven’t been confirmed, including Nesvik.
Wyoming’s Republican Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis are fine with that.
“The Senate continues to get President Trump’s nominees in place,” Barrasso stated in an email to Cowboy State Daily. “We’ve confirmed more than 100 already, so we’re very fast-paced compared to President Trump’s first term.
“The Democrats are filibustering every one of these nominees. Many of these positions in the past have always gone by voice vote or unanimous consent, but Democrats are obstructing the process.”
It’s time to quit stalling, Barrasso said.
“The president wants these people in place. I want them in place,” he said. “And that may have an impact on the schedule. Senator Lummis and I will continue to fight to get these important nominees across the finish line.
“This includes Wyoming’s Brian Nesvik, who we hope to soon confirm as the next Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
Lummis is also fed up with delays, Joe Jackson, a spokesman for her office, told Cowboy State Daily.
“Senator Lummis yesterday publicly called for the Senate to stay in session in August to vote on these nominations and deliver on the Trump agenda,” Jackson wrote in an email.
“She went on Laura Ingraham's Fox show last night to echo that message,” Jackson added. “President Trump called Senator Lummis after the Fox interview to say that he had watched it and to thank her for speaking out on getting these nominees confirmed.”
The list of Trump’s nominees is long, but Nesvik is one of Lummis’ top priorities.
“Brian Nesvik's nomination is one of the 157 nominations that are currently awaiting floor time and who Senator Lummis wants to see confirmed sooner rather than later,” Jackson stated.
Which Is Faster?
Of the two possible scenarios — delisting happening administratively through FWS or by Hageman’s bill becoming law — the latter would make delisting permanent and not subject to changing as administrations turn over.
Even without Nesvik in charge, FWS is apparently leaning toward delisting grizzlies.
The agency in January proposed a new grizzly management rule that it claims could lay the foundation for an “eventual” delisting of grizzlies in the Lower 48.
The earliest that rule could take effect would be January 2026. And even with the pro-delisting Nesvik leading agency, there’s no guarantee the hoped-for delisting would happen anytime soon.
Hageman’s bill, the Grizzly Bear State Management Act, would simply skip over any administrative process.
It would reinstate a 2017 FWS rule that delisted bears and handed management over to the states.
Delisting seemed so certain then, Game and Fish started laying plans for a limited quota fall 2018 grizzly hunting season.
But a federal judge in Montana blocked the 2017 delisting, faulting the data the agency used to justify it.
To prevent that from happening again, Hageman’s bill would forbid any further judicial review of delisting.
Earlier this month, the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee voted 20-19 along party lines for the Grizzly Bear State Management Act, sending the bill to the House floor.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
