New BLM Grazing Regulations: Idaho federal judge B. Lynn Winmill enjoined parts of BLM's new grazing regulations today that would prevent the public from participating in grazing decisions across the West. Read the decision (pdf) 8/11/06. Client:  Western Watersheds Project

Livestock Grazing Across Northern Utah: Executive Director Laird Lucas has been working with Dr. John Carter and Western Watersheds Project (WWP) for over two years, on a major case challenging BLM's management of livestock grazing on about 1.5 million acres of public lands across northern Utah. This case targets dozens of new grazing permits issued by BLM in 2001, without preparing any comprehensive analysis of grazing impacts and ignoring scientific data submitted by WWP showing extensive livestock damage to streams, wildlife habitat, sensitive soils and other resource values. Read more. Or, read first amended complaint (pdf) 8/13/03.

Owyhee Resource Area:  The U.S. Court of Appeals for 9th Circuit recently affirmed a sweeping injunction we won in 2000 to protect streams and riparian areas from livestock grazing on 1 million acres of BLM lands in southwestern Idaho.  We continue to enforce the injunction and fight Bush Administration efforts to cut “sweetheart” deals with ranchers on Owyhee grazing allotments. [Read the court's decision (pdf - 9/24/02).]  Clients:  Western Watersheds Project, Committee for the High Desert

Bruneau-Jarbidge Watershed:  We are prosecuting numerous pending federal court cases and administrative appeals over grazing in the Bruneau-Jarbidge watershed of southern Idaho, where corporate ranchers (Brackett and Simplot, the nation’s largest public land rancher) dominate the BLM.  We won an injunction in April 2003 to close several areas due to grazing degradation. Clients:  Western Watersheds Project, Committee for the High Desert

Slickspot Peppergrass:  This rare native Idaho desert flower was found by federal biologists to warrant ESA protection in 2001, but political interference stopped the listing. Our litigation forced FWS to propose adding the flower to the list of endangered species-- but in January 2004 the agency reversed course and withdrew the proposal.  With evidence of further political interference and threats to its habitat increasing, we expect to file additional litigation to achieve protection for slickspot peppergrass. 
Clients: Committee for the High Desert, Western Watersheds Project.

Nevada Grazing:  We continue to increase our enforcement of environmental laws over management of grazing on public lands in northern Nevada, with litigation pending over dozens of Forest Service and BLM allotments.  Clients: Committee for the High Desert, Western Watersheds Project

Pleasantview Allotment:  BLM biologists found severe degradation from grazing on Pleasantview allotment in southeastern Idaho, the agency refused to act under political pressure. Thus, we brought federal litigation to force BLM to comply with the “Fundamentals of Rangeland Health” regulations and implement the 19% reduction in grazing the agency found necessary to restore the allotment's degraded condition.  The Pleasantview Mountains in southeast Idaho are beautiful steep hills with narrow canyon bottoms that once probably held diverse native species, but today are choked with non-native weeds and cattle troughs.   We reached a settlement with BLM on the initial lawsuit whereby the agency issued a new decision in May 2002, implementing the necessary 19% grazing reduction.  In 2005, however, BLM issued yet another new decision revoking that 19% reduction.  Thus, Advocates again filed federal litigation to again force BLM to comply. Read the complaint (pdf) 7/21/05 Clients:  Idaho Conservation League, Western Watersheds Project

Mountain Quail:  Our federal litigation required the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to consider ESA protection for Mountain Quail, which has declined due to loss of riparian habitat.  Clients: Committee for the High Desert, Western Watersheds Project