By MATTHEW BROWN and JOHN FLESHER Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — U.S. wildlife officials plan to lift protections for gray wolves across the Lower 48 states, re-igniting the legal battle over a predator that’s running into conflicts with farmers and ranchers as its numbers rebound in some regions. The proposal would give states the … Continue reading US plans end to wolf protections; critics say it’s premature