Chronology of Success 2010
‘Winning for the West’
February 2010
- Settlement requires BLM to limit livestock grazing in Sonoran Desert National Monument in Arizona, and issue final determination of whether grazing is compatible with Monument purposes within 18 months.
- U.S. District Judge Winmill issues ruling declining to enjoin Idaho Fish and Game Department from landing helicopters in Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness to collar wolves during March 2010, but strongly warns the U.S. Forest Service against approving future operations.
March 2010
- In response to our prior litigation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determined that ESA listing of greater sage-grouse is “warranted” in light of habitat threats and population losses, but that listing is “precluded” by other priorities. We immediately filed suit in the District of Idaho to challenge this “precluded” determination.
April 2010
- Federal lawsuit filed for Idaho Conservation League to enforce Clean Water Act requirement that State of Idaho must protect water quality from degradation.
- Washington state district court rules that livestock grazing in Asotin State Wildlife Area is wholly unsupported by science and reverses 2009 state grazing lease.
- US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruling affirms that irrigation district cannot claim ownership of Middle Rio Grande Project in New Mexico, which was constructed over a half century ago using federal funds.
May 2010
- Stay granted by federal administrative law judge blocked BLM from constructing over 30 miles of new fencing in Green Mountain Common in southwestern Wyoming–one of the largest unfenced areas remaining in the lower 48 states, and sage-grouse stronghold–based on science showing that fencing causes grouse mortality from collisions and disturbs sage-grouse nesting and brood rearing.
June 2010
- Interior Dept. administrative law judge grants stay of BLM determination to cancel grazing permits held for Greenfire Preserve in central Idaho, where Western Watersheds Project has been seeking to restore cattle-damaged habitat, after we demonstrated that BLM was motivated by bias against WWP and cancelled the permits unlawfully.
July 2010
- Idaho federal court ruled that BLM failed to study impacts to wilderness values from reopening grazing and constructing new fencing in the Burnt Creek Wilderness Study Area, located near Mt. Borah in the Pahsimeroi watershed.
- Settlement brokered by Advocates for the West creates an innovative $15 million Sagebrush Habitat Conservation Fund to retire livestock grazing on a willing seller basis along the route of the Ruby natural gas pipeline in key sage-grouse habitats in Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Oregon.
August 2010
- Following our successful litigation to protect Hells Canyon bighorn sheep from fatal diseases transmitted by domestic sheep grazing on public lands, U.S. Forest Service permanently closed key allotments to sheep grazing on the Payette National Forest.
- Representing local business owners and residents, we won state district court ruling blocking Idaho Transportation Dept. from approving permits for massive oil refining equipment to be hauled up Idaho’s wild and scenic Lochsa and Middle Fork Clearwater Rivers, based on ITD violations of its own regulations.
September 2010
- U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed our prior district court victory, holding that Bush Administration violated federal laws in seeking to gut environmental protections against livestock grazing damage on 160 million acres of public lands managed by BLM.
- Idaho district court held that BLM violated Freedom of Information Act in refusing to provide the names and addresses of livestock grazing permittees on public lands. These two cases were featured in a New York Times editorial (10/3/10) applauding the decisions as restoring the “public interest” in grazing management on western lands.
October 2010
- Idaho federal court approved our settlement with U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, requiring those agencies to conduct Endangered Species Act consultation over land management actions affecting salmon, steelhead and bull trout in the Lemhi River watershed of central Idaho, and establishing interim management restrictions.
November 2010
- Idaho Supreme Court held that Idaho Transportation Dept. must follow “contested case” proceedings before authorizing Big Oil mega-shipments of massive refining equipment up Idaho’s scenic Highway 12, along the Lochsa and Clearwater Rivers.
December 2010
- Through a 2-day “contested case hearing” before a state hearing officer, we challenged initial “mega-loads” approved by Idaho Transportation Department to be hauled up Highway 12 along the Lochsa and Clearwater Rivers.