Forest Service

Challenge to Forest Service grazing management in Fossil Creek Range allotment of the Coconino National Forest in central Arizona, which is harming habitat for the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog, Yuma clapper rail, Southwestern willow flycatcher and other imperiled species. The grazing also impairs wilderness values of the Fossil Springs and Mazatzal Wilderness Areas by causing soil erosion in steep slopes and degrading riparian habitats.

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Fossil Creek Complaint

Fossil Creek Decision

On behalf of Winter Wildlands Alliance, Advocates for the West has brought a case against the U.S.

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Travel Rule complaint FILED.pdf

Advocates for the West is representing Snowlands Network, Winter Wildlands Alliance and Center for Biological Diversity  in a case regarding better management of snowmobile use on National Forest land in California.  Snowmobiles create air pollution through emissions that far surpass those of regular passenger cars, run over trees and shrubs, damaging the vegetation, and scare wildlife.  These machines, which can reach speeds over 100 mph, also disrupt the quiet, clean, peaceful winter scenery that non-motorized winter recreation users seek, such as cross-country and

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Appeal 4/4/11

This case challenges the U.S.

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Idaho Rivers United Complaint 3/10/11

Press Release Idaho Rivers United 3/10/11

Region 4 of the Forest Service has renewed grazing permits for hundreds of allotments without conducting any environmental analysis despite harm from grazing to many special resources. 

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Complaint

This case challenges the Forest Service's authorization of grazing on the Antelope Cattle and Horse allotment of Oregon's Fremont-Winema National Forests thereby violating the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) and the National Forest Management Act (“NFMA”). 

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Complaint

Opening Brief for Summary Judgement

The Pahsimeroi Valley contains key habitat for three species of Endangered Species Act-listed fish: bull trout, chinook salmon, and steelhead. Yet BLM and Forest Service have not conducted monitoring and habitat improvements as required by their own ESA consultation, which is now very outdated. Their failure to meet fish habitat requirements or to consult over changed conditions violates the ESA, and perpetuates degraded habitat conditions in the Pahsimeroi.

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ESA Complaint

opening summary judgment brief

This action challenges Forest Service and BLM violations of the Endangered Species Act in failing to carry out consulations with US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries over impacts of livestock grazing, irrigation diversions, and other management actions upon salmon, steelhead and bull trout in the Lemhi River watershed of central Idaho.

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Lemhi ESA Complaint

settlement agreement

The Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming has only a relic population of bighorn sheep, which die when they come into contact with domestic sheep grazing on the public lands.  Yet the Forest Service continues to authorize sheep grazing in bighorn habitat, and did not evaluate grazing alternatives to the status quo when it recently revised the Bighorn Forest Plan.

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Bighorn National Forest plan, opening brief

The US Forest Service and BLM each authorize dozens of irrigation diversions on public lands in the Upper Salmon basin of Idaho, which is critical habitat for threatened salmon, steelhead and bull trout.  These public lands diversions often are crude devices, lacking fish screens; and they harm the fish by dewatering streams, obstructing fish migration, and "entraining" fish into irrigation ditches. 

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WWP v. Matejko, 9th decision