This case challenges BLM decisions allowing grazing and construction of numerous livestock watering troughs and fences in the Grouse Creek, Meadow Creek, Trail Creek, and Rock Creek allotments, located in the Pahsimeroi watershed of central Idaho. 

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Complaint - June, 2009

Challis Area Map, courtesy of IDFG.

Brief in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment

The Granger and Carter Lease allotments encompass 720,000 acres of prime sage grouse habitat in BLM's Kemmerer Field Office of southwestern Wyoming.

BLM previously approved oil and gas drilling on the Moxa Arch project here, which has already harmed the sage-grouse population.  And BLM is planning to expand the Moxa Arch field, which will further fragment the sagebrush habitat and displace sensitive species, including pygmy rabbit and sage-grouse.

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Kemmerer ALJ decision

The 330,00-acre Soldier Meadows allotment lies adjacent to the Black Rock Desert in northern Nevada; and includes parts of the recently-designated Black Rock wilderness and other new wilderness areas. 

Soldier Meadows also has numerous springs and streams occupied by endangered fish species, including the Lahontan cutthroat trout and desert dace. 

This administrative appeal before the Office of Hearings and Appeals in the Department of Interior challenged BLM's authorization of grazing on the Squaw Valley and Spanish Ranch allotments of northern Nevada, where Barrick Goldstrike -- a major gold mining company -- has purchased several ranches and is running livestock on them.  

BLM's Elko field office approved three "multiple use decisions" (MUDs) authorizing grazing and fencing on 3 allotments in northern Nevada covering 1.5 million acres.  Despite the fact that this area is key sage grouse habitat and home to other imperiled species, BLM collected virtually no data on current conditions of these sensitive species populations or their habitats.  BLM also did not evaluate the direct, indirect and cumulative impacts of the authorized grazing upon these species.

This large case challenges several hundred grazing permits, oil and gas leases, and other land management decisions approved by BLM during the last years of the Bush Administration, which individually and together harm the Great Basin core population of greater sage-grouse in Idaho and Nevada.

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Great Basin sage grouse complaint

Brief opposing BLM's motion to dismiss

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).

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RMP complaint

ESA listing case, challenging US Fish and Wildlife Service's "90-day finding" rejecting WWP's listing petition for pygmy rabbit -- the word's tiniest bunny. 

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Pygmy rabbit ruling

BLM proposed to log over 12 million board feet of old growth forests in the South Fork Clearwater basin of central Idaho, asserting that risks of beetle infestation and wildfire required the logging.  After a week long trial where we called several expert witnesses to show those arguments were not accurate, the federal court enjoined the logging and ordered a more thorough and accurate environmental analysis if the agency wanted to proceed.  See Idaho Conservation League v. Bennett, 2005 WL 1041396 (D.

In response to our victory in the SNRA wolves case, Forest Service prepared an EIS for new grazing management on North Sheep, Smiley Creek, and other allotments in the Sawtooth National Forest of central Idaho, which are home to wolves, bighorn sheep, and endangered salmon and other fish.  These allotments are grazed by domestic sheep, which harm the streams, high altitude soils and vegetation, and cause conflicts with wolves.  The Court ruled for us that the Forest Service failed to study these impacts and alternatives adequately, as required by NEPA; and remanded for a new&

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North Sheep summary judgment decision