Case Chronology

Protecting Waters and Communities from Pesticides

In retaliation for our 2001 victory in Headwaters v. Talent Irrigation District, the pesticide industry asked EPA to exempt certain types of aquatic applications and aerial applications of pesticides from the Clean Water Act.

Reducing Risk of Climate Change from BLM actions

This campaign focuses on the Southwest, Southern Rockies and Northern Rockies.

Protecting the Lewis & Clark National Forest from Motorized Vehicles

Working with the Montana Wilderness Association, the Western Environmental Law Center is helping to ensure that the U.S. Forest Service adequately protects the Little Belt, Castle, and North Crazy Mountains from motorized vehicle use.

Supporting Good Travel Decisions in Montana

On behalf of Montana Wilderness Association, this litigation seeks to support the US Forest Service in its travel plan decision in the Big Snowies Wilderness Study Area in Montana.

Invasive Species in Southwestern Willow Flycatcher Habitat

A species of asian beetle, introduced to manage asian tamarisk, threatens habitat of the endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.

Protecting Lynx Throughout the Southern Rockies

According to The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, as soon as listed lynx cross the artificial state boundary between Colorado and New Mexico they are free game and can be shot and killed. The Western Environmental Law Center has taken these agencies to federal court to ensure that lynx entering New Mexico are provided federal protections.

MacDonald Pass: Protecting a Key Wildlife Corridor

The U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Army National Guard are proposing to build a new biathlon training facility directly within an extremely important but narrow wildlife corridor on the continental divide.

Banning Field Burning in Oregon

The Western Environmental Law Center is working with the Oregon Toxics Alliance, Lane County and other state and local representatives, healthcare providers, and concerned individuals to develop legal, political and communication strategies to stop field burning in Oregon. Both Washington and Idaho have banned the practice and viable alternatives to field burning do exist.

Our Work to Protect Wildlife Corridors

WELC is focusing on the conflicts and opportunities presented with the increase in demand for renewable energy and the concurrent need to protect sensitive wildlife habitats and important natural landscapes.

WELC at the Supreme Court - Defending your right to challenge harmful government regulations

WELC is going to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge forest service rules denying citizen input.

Ensuring Survival of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has failed to designate enough critical habitat to ensure the recovery and survival of the Southwestern Willow Flycatcher.

Protecting the Conservation Reserve Program

Without public participation and without reviewing the impacts of its decision the USDA is altering the wonderfully successful Conservation Reserve Program.

Protecting the Sawtooth National Forest from excessive motorized recreation

The Sawtooth National Forest in Idaho designated a system of motorized recreation routes without including the public in the decisionmaking process, and didn’t properly account for conservation values.

Challenging the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Failure to Prepare a Recovery Plan for the threatened Canada Lynx

The Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Canada lynx (Lynx Canadensis) as a Threatened species in the lower 48 United States in 2000 and has yet to prepare a Recovery Plan to direct management efforts and ensure the species survival.

Assisting Rio Arriba County, New Mexico in Implementing Oil & Gas Moratorium

Given the dramatic increase in oil and gas development in Rio Arriba County, the County Commission recently passed this moratorium to ensure that it protects its “prime feature — its land.”

Challenging Government Abdication of Duty to Recover Mexican Wolf

We are working to encourage the successful recovery of the Mexican wolf, by getting the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to re-assume responsibility for recovery it abdicated to the states of Arizona and New Mexico.

Ensuring Sufficient Water Supply for the Colorado River

WELC is working to ensure that the Department of Interior plans adequately for future low flows in the Colorado River so that the river and its resources are not harmed.

Shining a Light on Dirty Energy & Mining

Acting as local counsel for our allies at the Energy Minerals Law Center, we’re working to recover public records for Diné C.A.R.E. and the San Juan Citizens Alliance improperly withheld by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Protecting our National Forests Nationwide

For over a decade, WELC has led the fight to preserve our national forests by defending the integrity of regulations that dictate how they will be managed.

Intervention to Protect Critical Habitat of the Mexican Spotted Owl

The Western Environmental Law Center is representing the Center for Biological Diversity in intervening on behalf of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a suit filed by the ranching industry.