County teaming with legal firm to delist caribou

SANDPOINT, Idaho (AP) — Bonner County commissioners in northern Idaho have approved spending up to $10,000 as part of plan to have Selkirk Mountain woodland caribou taken off the federal endangered species list.

The Bonner County Daily Bee reports (http://bit.ly/xsr84e) that commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a plan that involves a contract with the Pacific Legal Foundation.

Commissioners also approved a memorandum of understanding that allows the public to contribute money to the effort.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed mountain caribou as a protected species in 1984.

Commissioners are concerned a plan announced in November to designate as critical habitat nearly 600 square miles of land in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington will harm local economies by restricting logging, snowmobiling and forest access.

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Information from: Bonner County (Idaho) Daily Bee, http://www.bonnercountydailybee.com