Interior’s Sage-Grouse Plans for Montana, Wyoming Draw Challenge

The Interior Department’s plans to allow oil, gas, and mine development in greater sage-grouse habitat in Montana and Wyoming are illegal, three environmental groups claim in a lawsuit filed Thursday.

The groups, led by the Montana Wildlife Federation, are asking the US District Court for the District of Montana to toss out the Bureau of Land Management’s 2025 resource management plan amendments for its territory in those states. The groups say the plans allow expanded fossil fuels development that will lead to further decline of the chicken-like bird.

Earlier plans finalized in 2015 do more to protect the greater sage-grouse ...