Decision

Just this week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona ruled in our favor in the Fossil Creek case challenging a U.S. Forest Service plan to allow livestock grazing in habitat for the threatened Chiricahua leopard frog in central Arizona's Coconino National Forest.

U.S.

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Order-F&Rs.pdf

Sage Grouse Prevail - A federal judge has ordered BLM to close to livestock grazing 17 allotments in the Jarbidge Field Office in southwestern Idaho, and has given Simplot Livestock and other permittees about two weeks to remove all livestock from the closed areas.  Animating the court's decision was the continuing collapse of sage-grouse populations and habitat.  The Court has ordered an evidentiary hearing on Simplot's motion to lift the injunction, and thus this 7 year-old case is just getting started.  Stay tuned.

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Order denying stay.pdf

WWP Press Release

Advocates for the West has won another court victory protecting public lands in the Pahsimeroi Valley.

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Opinion and Order (January 2011)

Hearing Officer Merlyn Clark issued his proposed findings and conclusions today in the Conoco coke drum mega-shipments up Highway 12.  Mr. Clark recommends that the Conoco permits be allowed. READ THE DECISION HERE:

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Hearing Officer findings and concls Conoco.pdf

After the parties partially settled this case, the Forest Service still tried to move the remainder of Plaintiffs' case from the Northern District of California to the Eastern District of California.  In a short but sweet Order, the Court denied this motion and retained the case.  Now the parties finally can get to the merits of this case!

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Order denying venue transfer

Hearing Officer Merlyn Clark issued a recommended order today, finding that our clients -- residents, property owners, and small business people on Highway 12 -- have a "direct and substantial interest" in the proposed ConocoPhillips mega-shipments up the scenic Clearwater and Lochsa river corridor, and thus must be allowed to intervene to oppose the Idaho Transportation Dept. permits for these massive shipments.

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Hearing Officer recommended order Nov 24 2010.pdf

The Idaho Supreme Court just released a decision in our case challenging ConocoPhillips' proposed mega-shipments of oil refining equipment up Highway 12.  Although the court's 3-2 decision technically reversed our district court victory, the ruling was procedural -- and helps us by clarifying that Idaho Transportation Dept.

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Idaho Supreme Court opinion Laughy v ITD.pdf

On September 1, 2010, the Ninth Circuit affirmed and upheld Advocates’ June 2007 victory reversing the Bush-era grazing regulations!

Although the government did not appeal the 2007 decision, the livestock industry did and appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Not only did the Ninth Circuit reject the industry's arguments, they strengthened the decision.  In affirming Advocates’ victory, the Ninth Circuit permanently enjoined the implementation of these regulations.

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9th Circuit Decision

Judge Bradbury this afternoon issued a 16 page decision in our favor, holding that Idaho Transportation Dept violated its own rules in approving four mega-shipments by ConocoPhillips up Highway 12 along the Clearwater and Lochsa Rivers.  This is a sweeping ruling for our clients and confirms that ITD failed to consider public convenience and safety in bowing to Big Oil's desires to turn Highway 12 into a "high and wide" corridor.  READ THE OPINION HERE:

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Conoco decision.pdf