Nov 5, 2018 | News Release
We applaud the Bureau of Land Management for listening to the public and deferring 58 of 81 oil and gas lease parcels on 74,516 acres of public land in Colorado from its December 13, 2018 sale. WELC provided technical comments opposing these leases and later filed...
Oct 29, 2018 | Ensuring Public and Environmental Review for Federal Fur Export Program, News Release
MISSOULA, MT. — Late Friday, a federal court in Montana ruled the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) failed to adequately protect imperiled lynx from the impacts of trapping in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “We are pleased the Service must now...
Oct 18, 2018 | News Release, Protecting the Colorado River Valley From Fossil Fuel Development
Late yesterday, Judge Lewis T. Babcock issued an important decision finding that a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plan to drastically expand oil and gas drilling on Colorado’s Western Slope failed to adequately analyze the climate impacts of increased greenhouse gas...
Oct 1, 2018 | News Release, Reducing Methane Pollution on Public Lands: BLM/EPA Waste Rules
A broad coalition of conservation and citizens’ groups sued the Trump administration late Friday to challenge the Bureau of Land Management for rescinding most provisions of its 2016 methane waste rule. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, notes Interior...
Sep 24, 2018 | News Release, Protecting Grizzly Bears
Today, a U.S. District Court judge ruled against the Trump administration, reversing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2017 decision to strip grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of vital Endangered Species Act protections. The court ruled that...
Sep 18, 2018 | News Release, Reducing Methane Pollution on Public Lands: BLM/EPA Waste Rules
Today the Bureau of Land Management pre-published a rule rescinding most provisions of its 2016 methane waste rule. The original rule required oil and gas companies operating on public lands to take reasonable measures to prevent the waste of publicly owned natural...
Sep 13, 2018 | News Release
Today, river advocacy groups notified federal agencies and a local public utility of their intent to sue over harm inflicted on Similkameen River endangered steelhead and threatened bull trout by Enloe Dam. New video evidence shows fish at the base of the dam unable...
Sep 13, 2018 | News Release, Protecting Grizzly Bears
MISSOULA, Mont. —Today, a U.S. District Court judge extended a temporary restraining order to block planned grizzly bear trophy hunts in Idaho and Wyoming for 14 more days while he prepares a ruling. The judge may only renew a temporary restraining order such as this...
Sep 12, 2018 | News Release, Victory! Protecting Wild Coho Salmon from Suction Dredge Mining in the Rogue River Basin
Portland, Oregon – Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a new Oregon state law banning motorized mining operations, such as suction dredging, in streams that support runs of wild salmon and steelhead trout. The court rejected miners’ assertions that...
Aug 30, 2018 | News Release, Protecting Grizzly Bears
MISSOULA, Mont. —Today, a U.S. District Court judge granted wildlife advocates’ motion for a temporary restraining order to block planned grizzly bear trophy hunts in Idaho and Wyoming for at least 14 days. This came after a hearing regarding a high-profile case...