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. 

Files: 

Appeal, Statement of Reasons and Petition for Stay

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. 

Files: 

Complaint - June, 2009

Challis Area Map, courtesy of IDFG.

Brief in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment

The Burnt Creek allotment is located in the Upper Pahsimeroi watershed, which is occupied by bull trout and sage grouse; and extends over much of the Burnt Creek Wilderness Study Area. 

Our prior litigation in 2002-03 forced BLM to close the allotment to grazing for over 5 years, although repeated livestock "trespass" occurred during that time, continuing to harm bull trout habitat. 

Files: 

Burnt Creek Complaint - July, 2009

Motion for Summary Judgement - March, 2010

Area map, courtesy of IDFG.

The Pleasantview allotment covers 70,000 acres of mostly public lands near Malad City, in southeast Idaho.  It offers habitat for greater sage-grouse, Columbia sharp-tail grouse, and other imperiled species; yet BLM has allowed excessive livestock grazing to badly damage the uplands and stream bottoms.  Weeds and alien species are spreading, aided by livestock overgrazing of native plants and damage to soils.

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.

Files: 

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.

Slickspot peppergrass is a rare desert flower found only in portions of southwestern Idaho.  Most known populations have been lost in recent decades due to impacts of livestock grazing, off-road vehicles, and other habitat degradation.  The US Fish and Wildlife Service has recognized that slickspot peppergrass thus deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act, issuing a proposed listing rule in 2002.

The 70,000-acre Nickel Creek allotment has the most riparian habitat of any allotment in BLM's Owyhee Resource Area of southwestern Idaho.  BLM's 1997 grazing permit for the Nickel Creek allotment was held unlawful in the IWP v. Hahn litigation.  BLM determined in 2001 that grazing was violating all applicable rangeland health standards -- yet under pressure from the permittees, BLM issued a new 2003 permit that continued excessive livestock numbers.

Files: 

Nickel Creek ALJ decision