"WELC has proven a critical ally in the protection and restoration of our state's natural resources."

Brian Shields, Amigos Bravos

WELC successfully beat back industry's attempts to slash the land designated for the recovery of the threatened Mexican Spotted Owl.  The Arizona Cattle Grower's Association challenged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's designation of 8.6 million acres of critical habitat in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah for the owl's recovery.  "This was a complete victory for the Mexican Spotted Owl," stated attorney WELC attorney Matt Kenna "as the judge rejected all arguments of the Arizona Cattle Growers and upheld the critical habitat designation."

The Service listed the owl as threatened in 1993, but did not designate critical habitat for the owl, as required by the Endangered Species Act, It was only after litigation that the Service finally designated the required habitat, but its initial designation of only 4.6 million acres was successfully challenged as insufficient for the owl's recovery.  The Service revisited its habitat determination for the owl, and in 2004 increased its critical habitat designation to 8.6 million acres.  The Arizona Cattle Grower's Association filed suit, challenging the 2004 critical habitat.  WELC represented the Center for Biological Diversity in successfully defending the Service's improved habitat designation.

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