Status
In November, 2016, Y2U, along with Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Wildlands Defense submitted comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Upper Green River Area Rangeland Project stating the reasons why we believe the Upper Green River Area Rangeland Project is not incompliance with laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Forest Management Act (NFMA), regulations, and policy. Grizzly bears are suffering mortality while cattle continue to graze, depriving the bears of a basic food source, herbaceous vegetation, upon which they rely. The DEIS notes that 52% of Grizzly bear deaths in Western Wyoming between 2010 – 2014 occurred in the project area, with 18 relocations and all were due to cattle depredation. Conservation measures put in place per the BA and BO are discretionary and ineffective as livestock and hunter conflicts remain a major cause of Grizzly deaths. In January of 2018, Y2U along with Alliance for the Wild Rockies filed an Objection. In August of 2018 Y2U received a letter from the Forest Service stating that an objection resolution meeting would take place but that the Forest Service was not willing to discuss any of our objection points. On January 21st, 2020, Y2U along with the Alliance for the Wild Rockies filed a Notice of Intent to litigate the Forest Service authorization of killing up to 72 Grizzly bears over the next ten years. On March 31st , 2020, Y2U, along with the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Western Watersheds Project filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service for the 2019 decision to allow 72 federally-protected Grizzly bears to be killed for the sake of public lands livestock grazing operations in the Upper Green River area of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. To view the comments, the Notice of Intent or the Complaint please see below
Work Plan
Y2U, along with the Alliance for the Wild Rockies and Western Watersheds Project will litigate the Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to halt the killing of federally protected Grizzly bears.
Expected Outcome
Unknown at this time.
Objection to the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Record of Decision