DORGAN APPLAUDS ELK MANAGEMENT DECISION

Senator has pushed for common-sense solution for nearly three years

Monday, March 8, 2010

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) today praised the National Park Service’s announcement of an elk management plan that relies on volunteer North Dakota sportsmen to thin the park’s elk herd, saying that the plan represents “a victory for common sense.” Dorgan has pushed the National Park Service to adopt such a plan for nearly three years.

Senator Dorgan, a member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, has pushed for a sensible solution to cull the elk herd, ever since learning that the Park Service was considering using expensive federal sharpshooters and helicopters.

“I’m pleased that the Park Service has finally decided to allow volunteer sportsmen to help cull the elk herd, and that there will be a mechanism for the volunteers to keep the elk meat,” Dorgan said. “It will save taxpayer money, give North Dakota hunters an opportunity to volunteer their time and effort, and help preserve and protect the National Park.”

To force the Park Service to address the issue last July, Senator Dorgan included a provision in the Interior Appropriations bill that required the Park Service to use qualified volunteers to thin the elk herd and allow volunteers to keep some of the meat. While the Park Service is prohibited from providing the meat directly to North Dakota hunters, it’s allowed to provide the meat to the state of North Dakota, which could then transfer the meat to volunteers.

Last September, Dorgan announced that he had worked with the Park Service and the state of North Dakota to reach an agreement in principle for qualified volunteers to help thin the elk herd and allow the hunters to keep the meat. Today’s announcement was the Park Service’s final decision to implement the plan that Dorgan has been advocating.

—END—