The Fish and Wildlife Service's latest grizzly bear report card puts Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on the spot. In minute ecological detail, the agency's new 368-page species status assessment shows the strength and durability of the bear's Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population. Now, having pledged to follow the science in making decisions, Haaland must decide whether to reconsider her previous position that the bear's vulnerabilities required ongoing Endangered Species Act protection. "ESA listing should be driven by the science, and it is appropriate for species to be delisted when they have recovered," Haaland told lawmakers. "I will ensure that any decision we make is guided by science and the law."
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