Expanded livestock grazing in grizzly habitat north of Yellowstone is illegal, judge rules

The federal government’s move to expand grazing north of Yellowstone National Park was illegal, a federal judge in Missoula ruled Wednesday.

The ruling will require the government to take a fresh look at potential environmental impacts of grazing considered for the area since 2013.

U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen DeSoto initially found the U.S. Forest Service failed to properly examine the six planned grazing allotments at the base of the Absaroka Mountains in March. The 8,524-acre grazing areas are considered to be located in part of a grizzly bear recovery zone, which serves as a “unique and ecologically critical area for the species,” nine conservation groups who filed the lawsuit stated.

The Absaroka Mountains are considered by the groups as a key connective habitat linking the G