Grazing

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

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

The Mono Basin Sage-Grouse isn't like other sage-grouse.  He struts on leks the same way sage-grouse accross the West have been doing for millenia, but the Mono Basin sage-grouse has unique genetic material that makes him uniquely important to the preservation of the species. 

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Bodie Hills Complaint

The Ruby pipeline is a project of El Paso Pipeline Corp., the country's largest pipeline company, which will cover 650 miles from southwestern Wyoming to southern Oregon.  The Ruby pipeline will carry 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, providing a coal substitute for utilities on the West Coast. 

But the Ruby pipeline route cuts through key sagebrush habitats, and will contribute to fragmentation of sage-grouse and pygmy rabbits - both declining species that warrant protection under the Endangered Species Act. 

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WWP - Ruby settlement press release

Map of the Ruby Pipeline Route

This case challenges a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) decision to roundup and remove nearly all of the wild free-roaming horses within three horse areas in northeastern Nevada.  BLM claims that it needs to remove these horses because they are overgrazing the public lands, although BLM's own documents show that cows - and not wild horses - are causing the degradation of public lands. 

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Appeal, Statement of Reasons and Petition for Stay

Advocates for the West represents Valley Sun, LLC and Western Watersheds Project on their challenge to a decision by BLM to cancel the Greenfire Preserve's grazing permit due to reasons related to lack of grazing.  On June 11, 2010, an ALJ granted Valley Sun a stay of BLM's cancellation decision, citing potential harm identified by expert geologist Don Clarke, in contrast to only speculative harm raised by BLM. This results in the permit not being cancelled during the pendency of the appeal.

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ALJ stay decision

Reply brief

Appeal and petition for stay

Executive Director Laird Lucas has brought a series of lawsuits against the Idaho State Land Board over the last decade, based on their refusal to award school land leases to conservationists seeking to pay more money to protect and restore the lands.

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Lazy Y Opinion

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