Whereas, Wyoming continues to have federal agencies acting in opposition to the
State’s desires and directives regarding how wildlife is managed within its borders and their actions could have adverse and significant impacts to Wyoming’s wildlife;
Whereas, the US Constitution specifies that the powers of the United States federal government are enumerated and specific; and
Whereas, The Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution states that the
powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people; and
Whereas, Article 1, Section 36 of the Wyoming Constitution states: The enumeration in this constitution, of certain rights shall not be construed to deny, impair or disparage others retained by the people; and
Whereas, Article 1, Section 39 of the Wyoming Constitution states: The opportunity to fish, hunt, and trap wildlife is a heritage that shall forever be preserved to the individual citizens of the state, subject to regulation as prescribed by law, and does not create a right to trespass on private property, diminish other private property rights or alter the duty of the state to manage wildlife; and
Whereas, Wyoming Statute 23-1-103 Ownership of wildlife; purpose of provisions: For the purpose of this act, all wildlife in Wyoming is the property of the state. It is the purpose of this act and the policy of the state to provide an adequate and flexible system for control, propagation, management, protection and regulation of all Wyoming wildlife; and
Whereas, the Grand Teton National Park (Department of Interior) unilaterally chose to disregard the admonitions of the Wyoming Game & Fish Director and its Commission with regards to management of mountain goats within the borders of the sovereign State of Wyoming; and
Whereas, the United States Fish and Wildlife Services (Department of Interior) is
refusing to honor a long standing agreement for elk management on the National Elk Refuge by insisting upon the implementation of an elk reduction plan opposed by the Wyoming Game & Fish Department; and
Whereas, The United State Forest Service (Department of Agriculture) is now denying or refusing to reauthorize Wyoming’s use of forested lands for the purpose of providing supplemental elk feed grounds, which are used to minimize depredation costs and risks of disease transmission (Brucellosis);
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Wyoming Republican Party hereby calls upon the United States Congress and the President of These States United to review activities within the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture which violate Wyoming’s ownership and management authority over wildlife within the state and take such action as necessary to preserve state sovereignty in these matters.
Passed:
Wyoming Republican Party, 21 May 15 SCC
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