National Forest Legal News Blog

Wyoming - According to this article in the Casper Star-Tribune the Wyoming and Washington State Snowmobile Associations have filed suit to block the Fish and Wildlife Service from implementing the critical Lynx habitat.  Picking a page from environmental groups, the plaintiffs argue that the government should have engaged in a full blow Environmental Impact Statement as opposed to the abriged Environmental Assessment.  Quoting the article:

In February, the Fish and Wildlife Service designated about 39,000 square miles in six states as critical habitat for the Canada lynx, which is a cat federally classified as a threatened species.

The designation protects areas considered essential for conserving the lynx population, including about 9,500 square miles in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding areas in Wyoming.

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The suit alleges that the impact of the critical habitat designation will be devastating to snowmobilers, who may be prohibited from removing downed trees and otherwise caring for established trails.

The lynx habitat area is roughly the size of the state of Indiana and includes Wyoming's Continental Divide Trail system, which is one of the nation's finest trail networks, according to the snowmobile groups in their lawsuit.