Washington, DC - Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Water and Wildlife Subcommittee, made the following statement on a proposed settlement in litigation with the Department of Interior regarding the status of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act.

Senators Boxer and Cardin said: "We are pleased with today's announcement of a proposed settlement in litigation regarding the Northern Rockies population of the gray wolf. We support the efforts of the parties involved to come to agreement on a path forward that relies on the best available science and upholds the integrity of the Endangered Species Act - one of our nation's landmark environmental laws.

"We encourage continued cooperation among all parties involved to ensure the long-term survival of this iconic species and to provide flexibility for states to sustainably manage wolf populations."

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