Forest Service Says It’s Not Responsible for Arizona Horse Herd

The US Forest Service is urging a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging its cost-sharing agreement to co-manage the Salt River horse herd with Arizona’s Department of Agriculture.

The conservation groups’ amended complaint doesn’t establish standing or state a claim where relief could be granted, the agency told the US District Court for the District of Arizona on Thursday.

The Center for Biological Diversity, Arizona Wildlife Federation, and others sued in January alleging that the Forest Service didn’t conduct an environmental impact analysis—as required by the National Environmental Policy Act—before completing the agreement in 2023.

Under the agreement, the ...