Approval of Grazing in Montana Watershed Faces Legal Challenge

The Bureau of Land Management unlawfully reauthorized grazing and livestock management projects in the Grasshopper Watershed in Montana, environmental groups alleged in a lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday.

The agency failed to disclose the baseline conditions of the watershed or incorporate “any meaningful analysis” of climate change’s impact on the region before approving cattle allotments on federal land, according to a complaint filed in the US District Court for the District of Montana.

Livestock grazing “massively contributes to the climate crisis,” but the bureau eliminated climate change analysis for the livestock management and range improvement project last year.

“BLM ...