One of the largest environmental cases ever filed, this litigation challenges 18 land use plans -- called Resource Management Plans (RMPs) -- issued in the last years of the Bush Administration, which will determine BLM's long-term management of more than 34 million acres of public lands across the range of greater sage-grouse in six western states (Idaho, Nevada, California, Utah, Wyoming and Montana).

BLM adopted the RMPs without addressing the long-term prospects for sage-grouse, even though the RMPs allow extensive oil and gas development, widespread livestock grazing and other actions that are harmful to sage-grouse and their sagebrush habitats.  BLM also ignored the changes associated with global warming -- including mostly hotter and drier weather conditions across the interior West -- which will promote more fires and weed invasions, thus causing further long-term losses of sagebrush habitat.

Rather than maximize the protection and restoration of sagebrush for sage-grouse and other imperilled species, the BLM plans will allow sage-grouse to continue spiralling downward, and thus contribute to the need for ESA listings.  This violates basic federal environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA)

Files: 

RMP complaint