A Montana-based federal judge on Wednesday ruled the Forest Service improperly allowed increased cattle grazing on occupied grizzly bear habitat near Yellowstone National Park.
In a notable team victory for allied environmental groups, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy ruled that the Forest Service failed to thoroughly analyze the environmental impacts of expanded grazing on federal land parcels located in the Absaroka Mountains in Montana.
Molloy ordered the Forest Service to return with a more thorough environmental study, and he vacated the agency’s decision that allowed the expanded grazing until the new and improved analysis is finished.
“While the Forest Service may be able to offer better reasoning on remand and adopt the same position it has, the errors identified … specifically and directly impact grizzly bear recovery,” Molloy wrote.
