News & Updates
Denise Fort joins Western Environmental Law Center board of directors
The Western Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit public-interest environmental law firm, is proud to announce the addition of former New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division head, Department of Finance and Administration Secretary, and University of New Mexico...
Groups Seek to Protect Wildlife and Quiet Use on San Juan National Forest
Today a coalition of groups filed a petition challenging seasonal dates for motorized single-track trail use that would harm elk and other wildlife as well as quiet use on a section of the San Juan National Forest. At the same time, the groups filed a motion to defend...
Statement: Bureau of Land Management defers oil and gas leases on 74,000 acres in Colorado
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...
Feds’ fur export approvals violate Endangered Species Act
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...
Court rejects BLM plan to double drilling in Colorado River Valley, citing climate
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...
Lawsuit challenges Trump administration for gutting methane waste rule
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...
Yellowstone grizzlies: Court reinstates protections, blocks ID, WY trophy hunts
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 the...
Trump administration guts methane waste rule
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...
Conservation groups ready to go to court over endangered species harmed by north-central Washington dam
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...
Yellowstone grizzlies: Court blocks ID, WY trophy hunts for 14 more days
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...
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