Push underway to let Great Lakes states manage wolves again

A Minnesota congressman says a push is underway to include language in a catchall spending bill to return responsibility for managing wolf populations in the western Great Lakes region to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Courts have overturned federal efforts to remove the region's wolves from the endangered list. The legislation would bypass the courts.

U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., says he's optimistic the provision will make it into the bill, which is expected out next week, but says it's not a done deal.

Katherine Mize, spokeswoman for Rep. Reid Ribble, R-Wis., another sponsor of the wolf provision, also says there's a good chance it could move forward.

But Wendy Keefover of the Humane Society of the United States is dismayed, saying wolves have not recovered across their historic range.