LAND in the WEST
In the West, there is an unmistakable feeling of openness. That call of the wild. That sense that this belongs to all of us. As, in truth, it does. With over 350 million acres of public lands in the West, this land is our land.
The American West is home to some of the most biologically diverse and beautiful regions in the world. From the Northern Rockies, to the Sierras and Cascades, to the vast Sagebrush Sea, the singular nature of each place in the West’s public lands unfolds a boundless variety of wonder.
The inherent possibility in the wild nature of the West is limitless – we consider it our sacred trust to ensure public lands are here to benefit many generations to come.
Chuckwalla National Monument Defense
Case: Daniel Torongo and BlueRibbon Coalition, Inc. v. Douglas Burgum; Bureau of Land Management; and the United States Department of the Interior
August 11, 2025 — Nine veteran, recreation, and conservation organizations—including Conservation Lands Foundation—followed the Ft. Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, and three other Tribal Nations in filing motions to intervene in a lawsuit to defend California’s Chuckwalla National Monument. Through our long-standing partnership, Advocates for the West is providing legal counsel…
Point Reyes Settlement Legal Attacks
Case: Nicolette Hahn Niman, William Niman, David Evans, and Claire Herminjard v. United States Deparment of the Interior, et al.
May 16, 2025 — Advocates for the West filed a motion to intervene and supporting declarations in a case brought by members of the Niman family and others against the National Park Service challenging the agency’s 2025 Revised Record of Decision (ROD) for the general management plan amendment at northern California’s Point Reyes National Seashore. The…
State and Industry Challenges to Public Lands Rule
Case: States of Utah and Wyoming v. Deb Haaland, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Conservation Lands Foundation, and The Wilderness Society
October 1, 2024 — Advocates for the West and our partners at Conservation Lands Foundation, The Wilderness Society, and Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance filed a motion to intervene to defend BLM’s Public Lands Rule against yet another lawsuit brought this past summer by the American Farm Bureau and other industry trade associations representing the oil…
Owyhee Military Airspace Expansion
Case: Oregon Natural Desert Association, Friends of the Nevada Wilderness, and Idaho Conservation League v. U.S. Department of the Air Force
January 22, 2024 — Advocates for the West filed suit challenging the Air Force’s decision to expand and intensify its military trainings using F-15 fighter jets over Wilderness Areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers in the Owyhee Canyonlands of Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada, threatening key sage-grouse strongholds, as well as bighorn sheep and other wildlife….
Air Force Owyhee Airspace Optimization: FOIA Records Request
Case: Idaho Conservation League v. U.S. Air Force
May 16, 2025 — Advocates for the West favorably settled this case. October 10, 2023 — Advocates for the West filed suit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to compel Mountain Home Air Force Base to release public records as required by law. The records relate to the Air Force’s proposal to expand and intensify…
Bureau of Land Management Rangeland Degradation
Case: Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility and Western Watersheds Project v. Debra Haaland, Tracy Stone-Manning, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management
September 13, 2023 — Advocates for the West filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for its failure to abide by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act to determine the prioritization and timing of environmental analyses for livestock grazing allotments on public…
Big Creek Airstrips
Case: Wilderness Watch, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Friends of the Clearwater, and Friends of the Bitterroot v. Linda Jackson, Mary Farnsworth, and United States Forest Service
December 10, 2024 — The Court issued a memorandum decision and order dismissing the State of Idaho’s cross claims and approving our settlement with the Forest Service requiring the agency to issue corrective management instructions that the four unlawful airstrips are only open for emergency and not recreational use, and to monitor future use of…
Redfish Lake Cell Tower
Case: Petition for Environmental Review of AT&T Proposed Tower in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Near Redfish Lake, ID
January 27, 2024 — Advocates for the West filed an Application for Review, asking the Federal Communications Commission to review the denial of our Petition for Environmental Review and to require an Environmental Impact Statement or Environmental Assessment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act for AT&T’s proposal to construct a commercial cell tower…
Stibnite Mine Air Quality Permit
Case: Idaho Conservation League and Save the South Fork Salmon v. Idaho Department of Environmental Quality and Idaho Board of Environmental Quality
November 7, 2025 — Advocates for the West and our partners filed our opening brief in our state court case challenging the air pollution permit issued for the Stibnite Gold Mine. September 18, 2025 — An Ada County judge ruled in favor of Advocates for the West and our partners, denying DEQ’s motion to dismiss…
Point Reyes National Seashore Followup Case
Case: Resource Renewal Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and Western Watersheds Project v. National Park Service
August 1, 2025 — Advocates for the West filed our answering brief in a U.S. Ninth Circuit appeal by Marin attorney Andrew Giacomini of the district court’s decision denying intervention to anonymous “Doe” ranching tenants. The tenants seek to intervene in our case that is administratively closed and will likely be dismissed next year, following…
