Judge orders BLM to keep livestock off Oregon sage grouse research lands
A federal judge ruled that the Bureau of Land Management must prevent grazing on Oregon sage-grouse research areas, finding the agency violated environmental statutes.
In a lawsuit brought by the Oregon Natural Desert Association, Judge Michael Simon concluded that the BLM’s revised 2025 plan failed to meet requirements of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The agency’s reduction of protected acreage and its inadequate analysis of grazing impacts were deemed arbitrary and capricious. Simon ordered the BLM to reopen the comment period, provide clearer explanations for its decisions, and to make its best effort to keep livestock out of the 2015-designated research areas.
The court also mandated periodic compliance inspections and adherence to administrative procedures for unauthorized use. The ruling stops short of overturning the entire plan, citing potential environmental disruption from reinstating earlier fencing requirements.
Why it matters
The decision safeguards critical sage-grouse habitats and reinforces federal environmental review standards.
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