HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte and two state agencies filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration to challenge Yellowstone National Park’s (YNP) Bison Management Plan.
Together with Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), Governor Gianforte is suing to halt the implementation of YNP’s Bison Management Plan. The complaint alleges that the adoption of the plan by the National Park Service (NPS) violates several federal laws.
“The National Park Service has repeatedly and consistently failed to engage with the State in a meaningful and transparent manner as required by law throughout the planning process,” Gov. Gianforte said. “NPS has not given us a fair shake and has ignored concerns raised by the State. We will always defend our state from federal overreach.”
The State of Montana has raised concerns about the Bison Management Plan since 2022, when NPS first announced its intent to draft a plan. In 2023, Gov. Gianforte criticized Yellowstone National Park’s bison management alternatives, citing YNP’s lack of cooperation with the State of Montana, deficient and misstated analysis, and failure to meet its own mandates.
“The Department of Livestock is committed to preventing, controlling and eradicating animal disease,” DOL Director Mike Honeycutt said. “Given the way NPS has ignored feedback from Montana, we have major concerns about potential threats to animal health from the possible spread of brucellosis.”
“Bison represent a complex and contentious issue with both livestock producers and wildlife advocates,” FWP Director Christy Clark said. “We had hoped for and asked for a better and more transparent process in developing this EIS. Those requests were ignored.”
Earlier this year, the governor sent a letter to Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and NPS leadership to express his disappointment with the agencies for a lack of cooperation, writing, “YNP has avoided substantive, collaborative discussions with the State’s scientists and technical advisors at every turn.”
The complaint may be viewed here.
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Office of the Governor
In a recent development, Governor Gianforte and several state agencies have filed a lawsuit over Yellowstone National Park’s bison management plan. The controversy surrounds the management of the park’s bison population, with the state arguing that current policies are not sufficient to prevent the spread of disease and protect Montana’s livestock industry.
The lawsuit alleges that the park’s bison management plan violates state laws and agreements, and seeks to compel the National Park Service to revise its policies to better align with Montana’s interests. Governor Gianforte has stated that the current plan poses a risk to the state’s economy and agricultural industry, and that more effective measures are needed to manage the bison population.
This legal action underscores the ongoing tensions between federal and state authorities over wildlife management in Montana, and highlights the challenges of balancing conservation efforts with the needs of local communities. It remains to be seen how this lawsuit will impact the future of bison management in Yellowstone National Park. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
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