Agreement Reached on Gray Wolves: Hunting To Be Allowed in Montana, Idaho

The Obama administration has apparently reached a compromise on the never-ending issue of wolves in the west.

From this story in the Los Angeles Times:
Facing mounting pressure from lawmakers over gray wolves, wildlife advocates reached an agreement with the Obama administration Friday to lift protections for the species in Montana and Idaho and allow hunting. The settlement agreement, opposed by some environmentalists, is intended to resolve years of litigation that has kept wolves in the Northern Rockies shielded by the Endangered Species Act even as the population expanded dramatically. It also is meant to preempt action by Congress, where western Republicans are leading efforts to strip wolves of their protections nationwide. “For too long, wolf management in this country has been caught up in controversy and litigation instead of rooted in science, where it belongs. This proposed settlement provides a path forward,” said Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes.
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_If approved by a federal judge, the deal would keep the species on the endangered list at least temporarily in four states where they are considered most vulnerable: Wyoming, Oregon, Washington and Utah. And it calls for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to set up a scientific panel to re-examine wolf recovery goals calling for a minimum 300 wolves in the region — a population size wildlife advocates criticize as inadequate. Supporters of the settlement hope that process will accelerate wolf recovery efforts in Washington and Oregon, where populations are just beginning to take hold.

The compromise has angered parties on both sides of the issue, with several environmental groups withdrawing their support and Republican lawmakers saying it doesn’t go far enough. What’s your take?