A district court denied an animal advocacy group's request to vacate and remand FWS' decisions approving a general conservation plan (GCP) and incidental take permits for the Utah prairie dog. The group argued the decision to approve the GCP was arbitrary and capricious because the plan will not ful...

In an unpublished opinion, the Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the Forest Service in a challenge to its decision to approve a herd management plan for wild horses in Ochoco National Forest. A group of conservationists argued the Service violated the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Ac...

A district court granted the Maine Department of Marine Resources' motion to dismiss a challenge to its rule that compels federally licensed lobstermen to install a tracking device on their fishing vessels. The lobstermen challenged the rule under the Maine Administrative Procedure Act (MAPA) and on...

A district court granted summary judgment for environmental groups in a challenge to Wildlife Services' reauthorization of a predator damage and conflict management program in Montana under which grizzly bears may be killed. The groups argued the Services violated NEPA by failing to include critical...

The Tenth Circuit, 2-1, reversed a district court ruling in a challenge to the Forest Service's approval of a 2020 management plan amendment for the Thunder Basin National Grassland in northeastern Wyoming. Conservation groups had argued the amendment failed to comply with the ESA and NEPA. The dist...

A district court granted Colorado parks and wildlife agencies' motion to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the reintroduction of gray wolves in the state. A conservation group argued the agencies violated NEPA by failing to conduct or complete the environmental review process required for wolf introduct...

A district court granted in part and denied in part summary judgment in environmental groups' challenge to BLM's approval of land management plans designating route networks for off-highway vehicles (OHVs) in the western Mojave Desert. The groups argued the 2019 OHV route network violated FLPMA, NEP...

A district court denied the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's (FDEP's) motion to dismiss a lawsuit concerning its alleged failure to appropriately regulate sewage discharge into a northern part of the Indian River Lagoon. A nonprofit group argued FDEP's insufficient regulation led to ...

A district court granted the state of Alaska's request to set aside and enjoin NMFS' final rules designating critical habitat for the Beringia distinct population segment of the bearded seal and for the Arctic ringed seal. The state argued NMFS violated the ESA by failing to designate specific areas...

A district court denied summary judgment for environmental groups in a challenge to FWS' 2015 rule that classified any reestablished black-footed ferret population in Wyoming as a nonessential experimental population. The groups argued FWS' designation of reintroduced ferrets as "nonessential" viola...