Yurok Tribe

Democratic lawmakers in California propose a bill to study reintroducing grizzly bears, supported by tribes and environmentalists as an ecological restoration effort. Rural communities, ranchers, hunting groups, and Republican senators oppose the plan, citing safety concerns and ecosystem changes. The last California grizzly bear died over a century ago.

Democrats are advancing a bill to study reintroducing grizzly bears to California, facing opposition from rural residents, ranchers, and Republicans. The grizzly bear on California’s flag became extinct in the state over a century ago, and tribes and environmentalists argue its return could benefit the ecosystem.

The Ninth Circuit ruled that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation must comply with the Endangered Species Act when operating the Klamath Irrigation Project, affirming a lower court's decision. The 2-1 ruling emphasized that the ESA applies to the Bureau's operations and that water users' rights are subject to ESA requirements. The majority rejected claims of judicial taking and confirmed the lower court's jurisdiction.