Federal Court Bars Livestock in Jarbidge, Bruneau Watersheds.
From the Western Watersheds Project Messenger

In response to a lawsuit filed by Western Watersheds Project and the
Committee for the High Desert, a federal court has ordered the Bureau of
Land Management to close several pastures to livestock grazing in the
Jarbidge Resource Area of south-central Idaho [sic] [actually these are in
extreme SW Idaho near the Nevada and Oregon border].

The area comprises more than 1.7 million acres of primarily public lands
within the Jarbidge River and Bruneau River watersheds. The lands are home
to bull trout, bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, redband trout, red-tailed
hawks and more than 300 other species of wildlife.

U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Mikel Williams granted the conservation
groups' motion for a preliminary injunction barring livestock grazing in
selected pastures. He also ordered the BLM to abide by its own findings that
show livestock grazing in Jarbidge RA has violated federal standards of
rangeland health.

"This decision represents a watershed moment for the Jarbidge," said Todd
Tucci, attorney for Advocates for the West, representing WWP and CHD. "No
longer can the BLM and ranching corporations continue to indiscriminately
trash our public lands. They will be held accountable for the abysmal
conditions in the Jarbidge -- conditions that the BLM admits are caused by
livestock grazing." The BLM's own reports indicate that 84 percent of
Jarbidge RA is in "poor" or "recently burned" condition.

"The record in this regard supports the likelihood of continued injury to
the rangeland health . . ." Williams ruled, "and the injury would be
irreparable, absent any protective measures in the form of modifications to
the current grazing management practices."

Willams noted that the BLM "failed to take any action" prior to the 2003
grazing season despite the agency's damage assessment of Jarbidge RA that
triggered WWP and CHD's lawsuit.

"The Jarbidge BLM tried fly below the radar screen here," said Jon Marvel,
executive director of WWP. "Because the agency has demonstrated that it is
incapable of enforcing our environmental laws, we are forced to sue in order
to protect lands that belong to all of us. The BLM must hold themselves and
the ranching giants accountable."

WWP and CHD sued the BLM in November 2002 for its failure to revise
livestock grazing practices in Jarbidge RA despite the agency's finding that
livestock grazing caused "raw" streambanks, incised stream channels,
increased soil erosion into critical bull trout habitat, adverse effects to
slickspot peppergrass and many other ecological impacts.

Jarbidge RA is familiar territory to hunters, hikers, anglers, birders and
other public-lands users for its unique natural, recreational and cultural
resources. But the area also serves as the public-lands feedlot for some of
the country's biggest ranchers and ranching corporations, including Brackett
Ranches and J.R. Simplot, the potato billionaire.

"This decision sends a message that the Bracketts and Simplots of the
ranching industry are not above the law," said Katie Fite, conservation
director of the Committee for the High Desert.

The Jarbidge Resource Management Plan, completed in 1985, requires the BLM
to improve rangelands in poor condition; improve sage grouse nesting;
protect bighorn sheep habitat; and protect and enhance sage grouse habitat
to maintain or increase sage grouse populations.

Since that time, Jarbidge RA has suffered significant degradation and loss
of wildlife habitat due to livestock grazing. Bull trout were listed under
the Endangered Species Act. Slickspot peppergrass was proposed for listing.
The U.S. Air Force expanded its military training facilities in the area.
Sage grouse populations have plummeted, while exotic weed populations and
off-road vehicle use have soared.