Oregon Senators Opposed Republican Effort Overturning Barred Owl Management Plan

Washington, DC - Today, Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden issued the following joint statement after opposing a procedural vote on a measure on the Senate floor to disapprove and overturn the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's plan to manage the barred owls:

"We support saving the Spotted Owl, an iconic species in the Pacific Northwest that has been the focus of decades of conservation efforts. The Fish and Wildlife Service's plan was developed after a decade of research, consideration of alternatives to manage the non-native and invasive Barred Owls, and consultation and partnership with Tribes.

"Good wildlife management should be based on collaboration and driven by the best available science. It would be a mistake to allow out-of-state interests to use the Congressional Review Act to undermine local efforts to build consensus and hamstring ongoing management of an imperiled species. We will continue to monitor the implementation of the Barred Owl Management Strategy and oppose any efforts by the Trump Administration to clear cut old growth forests."

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