This case challenges the Bureau of Land Management’s failure to conduct appropriate environmental analyses prior to selling oil and gas leases in Southwestern Montana. The challenged leases are in the Beaverhead watershed and include areas that abut roadless areas and BLM wilderness study areas with recognized outstanding wilderness characteristics. The Beaverhead River is categorized as a Class 1 stream, and is a world-renowned blue ribbon trout fishery visited annually by thousands of anglers from across the globe. Tributaries in the Beaverhead watershed are known to have genetically pure populations of westslope cutthroat trout, at a time when such populations currently exist in less than five percent of their historical range in the upper Missouri River basin. Of the known 199 genetically pure populations that remain in the upper Missouri River basin, 28 occur in the Beaverhead watershed. The Beaverhead watershed contains properties with high cultural and archeological values exist, and it supports rare plants, bald eagles, ferruginous hawks nesting sites, sage grouse nesting and early brood-rearing habitat, and range for elk, moose, mule deer and antelope.  We are appealing the BLM’s decision not to perform a more thorough analysis of the environmental impacts of the leases under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Attorney: Sarah McMillan