Missoula, MT – The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) has granted BNSF Railway a special permit to “take” 19 grizzly bears over the next seven years in exchange for funding conservation efforts aimed at protecting the species in northwest Montana. The plan, which has been under development for years, addresses the ongoing issue of bear fatalities along BNSF’s rail lines, where over 60 grizzly bears have been killed over the last 15 years.
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is the result of a collaborative effort between BNSF, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), and the Montana Outdoor Legacy Foundation. BNSF, the largest freight railroad in the United States, will contribute $2.9 million to help fund key conservation initiatives. These efforts include hiring seasonal bear technicians, installing monitoring equipment such as radio collars and remote cameras, and cleaning up waste—particularly spilled grain—that attracts bears to the tracks.
“This plan represents a significant partnership and step forward in our continued efforts to bolster grizzly bear recovery and conservation in northwest and north-central Montana,” said Christy Clark, director of FWP, in a press release. “Funding from BNSF will support boots on the ground and benefit public safety and grizzly bears. We commend BNSF Railway for working with us on this plan.”
The $2.9 million investment will primarily support conservation activities within the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, an area encompassing parts of Glacier National Park, Flathead and Kootenai national forests, and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. This region is critical to grizzly bear populations, but it has long been impacted by railroad operations.
BNSF, along with its predecessors Burlington Northern and Great Northern, has operated trains through the area since 1892, and the route remains one of the busiest rail lines in the country. After a series of bear deaths in the late 1980s, Burlington Northern initiated the Great Northern Environmental Stewardship Area to reduce bear fatalities, particularly by addressing the issue of spilled grain from derailments, which attracted the animals.
Just last fall, a BNSF train derailed near Essex, spilling hundreds of tons of grain. The railroad’s “Rapid Response Protocol” was activated to clean up the spill, and no bear fatalities were reported from the site. This quick response to spills is now part of the ongoing conservation strategy.
Despite the railroad’s proactive measures, in 2004, 2020, and 2023, BNSF requested incidental “take” permits from USFWS, seeking legal authorization for any bear fatalities caused by its trains. The permit issued this week allows BNSF to kill up to 19 grizzly bears, including nine females, within the 206-mile stretch of railroad between Shelby and Brimstone, west of Whitefish.
In addition to funding for conflict mitigation, BNSF will also support public education and outreach, including initiatives to raise awareness about safe living and recreation in bear country.
“We’re grateful for the insight provided by stakeholders throughout this process,” said John Lovenburg, BNSF’s vice president of environment and sustainability. “We look forward to working with federal, tribal, and state partners to ensure the effective implementation of this plan and the conservation measures it outlines.”
The plan has drawn mixed reactions from conservation groups. While some groups have expressed cautious optimism, others have voiced concerns that the plan does not go far enough to reduce the risks to grizzly bears. Erik Molvar, of the Western Watersheds Project, emphasized the importance of reducing train speeds in the area, particularly given the close proximity to Glacier National Park, a prime grizzly bear habitat.
“We are hopeful that this plan will lessen risks to grizzlies,” Molvar said. “However, we are disappointed that speed reductions aren’t part of the package. The railroad slows down for human safety, and it should do the same for grizzly safety.”
The conservation plan noted that speed reductions had been considered but were ultimately rejected due to insufficient evidence connecting bear fatalities to train speed. The report also cited concerns that slowing trains would reduce fuel efficiency.
As the railroad continues to operate through this sensitive region, stakeholders remain focused on balancing the needs of wildlife conservation with the realities of a busy transportation corridor. While the plan is far from perfect, it marks a significant step in the ongoing effort to protect grizzly bears and preserve their habitat in one of the most critical ecosystems in North America.
