Rocky Mountain Wild

Wyoming is urging a federal judge to split two lawsuits challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s reduced protections for greater sage grouse and transfer the Wyoming-related claims to Wyoming. Conservation groups from seven organizations filed suits in Montana federal court, alleging the BLM weakened habitat protections by expanding oil and gas leasing, while Wyoming argues its management plan is distinct and merits a separate venue.

A federal agency will lease tens of thousands of acres in northwestern Colorado, including critical elk migration corridors and areas near Dinosaur National Monument, to oil and gas companies. The lease sale, the state’s largest in modern history, conflicts with conservation strategies and risks wildlife habitats, tourism, and dark sky designations.