Public comments open Jan. 15 for the new rule proposed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services for grizzly bear recovery in the lower 48 states.

The Biden administration is keeping protections in place for more than 2,000 grizzly bears in western states despite requests to lift the safeguards.

The decision will likely anger the officials of several northern states, which have demanded the right to take over bear management from U.S. Fish

Federal officials will be discussing their proposed grizzly bear rule at public meetings in the coming month.  One is set for the Kootenai County Fairgrounds in Coeur d'Alene on Jan. 29.  An informational meeting will go from 3 p.