Missoula, Mont. — A federal plan to remove the Endangered Species Act's so-called blanket rule for threatened species had drawn support and opposition as an August deadline approaches.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the change will give states more control over grizzly bear populations. They contend several bear populations in the region have met recovery goals and that states already handle much of that work.

The announcement came after Interior Secretary Doug Burgum appeared in Bozeman with Gov. Greg Gianforte and the governors from Wyoming and Idaho.

Groups including the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen's Task Force said they are already preparing challenges. Consultant Mike Bader said the change has little to do with protecting bears.

“We think that the rule is unreasonable and there's already existing killing of grizzly bears from a whole host of sources, and that hasn't been resolved yet. This rule would just add more allowances for killing grizzly bears,” Bader said.

Justin Iverson, a rancher in Potomac, a director with the Montana Beef Council and a former board member of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, supports the move. He says state workers already did the day-to-day management and that the change could expand available options.

“I don't see it as a real seismic shift on management. The state folks are all already the ones doing the day-to-day work. I think this opens up some more tools for us in the toolbox,” Iverson said. “One of the things people don't often talk about is a lot of the non-lethal methods we could use to haze these bears or chase them off is restricted.”

Iverson also said he already takes part in programs meant to reduce predator conflict with his herd. He said he believes most ranchers want bears on the landscape in some capacity.

Bader said he views removing the blanket rule as a move away from protecting grizzlies.

“I don't think this is of service to the grizzly bear, and I don't think that this move has the grizzly bears' interests at heart. It's meant to appease people who would like to see grizzlies off of the landscape and really make us more like everywhere else,” Bader said.

Public comment on the proposal will be accepted until August 17 and the r