Advertisement TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Five groups sued the government Monday for removing more than 4,000 gray wolves in the upper Great Lakes region from the endangered list, prolonging a dispute over whether the predator can survive without federal protection.
Despite the wolf’s comeback from near-extinction in the region over the past two decades, some activists insist it remains vulnerable. The lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., seeks an injunction returning Great Lakes wolves to the endangered list while the case is heard.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service dropped federal protections last month, as the Obama administration upheld a Bush-era finding that the wolf could survive under state management. The animal protection and environmental groups disagreed.
"This is a species that was driven to the brink of extinction on the states’ watch," said Jonathan Lovvorn, a vice president of The Humane Society of the United States.
Management plans crafted by Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin presently do not allow wolves to be hunted or trapped, although farmers and pet owners can kill wolves attacking domestic animals. But the plans leave the door open for future hunts and other measures that could reduce wolf numbers by up to 50 percent, Lovvorn said.
Georgia Parham, spokeswoman for the Fish and Wildlife Service, said the region’s wolves had met population goals and other criteria for removal from the list.
"We have to look at whether the (state) plans continue to ensure the survivability of the wolf," Parham said. "We believe the plans do that."
Childless adults can apply for insurance benefit
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Low-income adults who don’t have children can now apply to receive health insurance under an expanded state program.
Gov. Jim Doyle says applications are being accepted online at www.badgercareplus.org.
Benefits start on July 15 and will cover basic health care services, including primary care and generic drugs.
To qualify the person must be a Wisconsin resident, have no dependent children living with him or her, and earn less than $1,805 per month, or $2,428 for a married couple.
An applicant also must not currently have health insurance or have had access to insurance offered by an employer in the past 12 months.
The governor says the plan will provide an insurance option for up to 40,000 people.
Feds have cleanup plan for Lake Superior shore
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Federal and state environmental officials are proposing a multimillion-dollar cleanup project in Ashland.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Natural Resources want to spend up to $97 million to clean up several properties within the city and about 16 acres in Chequamegon (sheh-WAH’-muh-gahn) Bay.
Plans include removing contaminated soil, building barriers to contain contaminated groundwater and digging up wood waste and contaminated sediment. The problems stem from a gas plant that operated in the area until 1947.
Public hearings are scheduled June 17 and June 29 at the Northern Great Lakes Vistior Center in Ashland.
Teachers, students to lobby on school funding
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Students, teachers, parents and others plan to march on the state Capitol in Madison Tuesday to lobby lawmakers about education issues.
The Walk on the Child’s side has been happening for 10 years.
Participants say they plan to talk about problems in the state school funding system.
Tom Beebe is executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools which formed to advocate for school funding reforms. He says the current aid formula underfunds education, resulting in weakened schools.
The state budget proposal that passed the state Assembly on Saturday would cut state aid to education about 3 percent over the next two years. The Senate is expected to debate the budget this week.
