Defenders of Wildlife, The Wilderness Society, the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council, San Juan Citizens Alliance, WildEarth Guardians and the Western Environmental Law Center filed two related lawsuits (Lawsuit 1 & Lawsuit 2) against the U.S. Forest Service over its newly revised land management plan for the Rio Grande National Forest. The conservation organizations allege that the Forest Service’s plan slashes protections for the threatened Canada lynx and the endangered Uncompahgre fritillary butterfly in violation of the Endangered Species Act. Plaintiffs are seeking vacatur of the existing land management plan as well as declaratory and injunctive relief.
[To accompany Federal Case Law Update "Conservation Organizations Sue to Protect Lynx and Butterflies" from Brooks Animal Law Digest Issue No. 113.]