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WildEarth Guardians Appeals to Ninth Circuit
In April 2012,Guardians sued Wildlife Services for its failure to update its outdated national programmatic environmental review, which primarily relies on outdated scientific studies from the 1970s and 1980s, and for its failure to conduct the required environmental analysis of its wildlife-killing activities in Nevada. The Nevada federal district court did not reach the question of whether Wildlife Services’ stagnant, 18-year-old environmental review violated the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”), instead finding that Guardians lacked “standing” to object to the government’s massive wildlife cull.
“The lower court erred in its decision to allow Wildlife Services to continue its expensive,barbaric, and biologically unsound practices without giving citizens and taxpayers the ability to scrutinize its questionable conduct,” said Wendy Keefover, Carnivore Protection Director for WildEarth Guardians. “We are asking the appeals court to take a fresh look at these issues, and to grant relief to wild animals, wildlife watchers, and taxpayers.”
The federal government spends well over $100 million annually to kill wildlife nationwide. Wildlife Services plants restricted-use pesticides such as sodium cyanide and theavicide DRC-1339 in wild places. Absent WildlifeServices’ participation and support, states would neither have the authority,nor the funding to continue the cruel business of culling massive numbers of wild animals, including coyotes, mountain lions, black bears, ravens, and bobcats.
“NEPA guarantees the public a say in federal programs that effect our environment,” said Keefover. “Our suit seeks to ensure Wildlife Services is using the best available science to ensure its activities are not negatively impacting the environment.”
The legal brief filed yesterday is the first in a series of legal documents that will be filed before the Ninth Circuit by WildEarth Guardians, the federal government, and others over the next four months. Once the case is fully briefed a panel of judges on the Ninth Circuit will rule on the matter.
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View Guardians’ Opening Appellate Brief
Review the Case History:
Guardians sues Wildlife Services in April 2012
Nevada Federal District Court Sides with Government in March, 2013
Read Guardians’ Report:
The Deadliest Dozen Counties in the American West:
Mapping Wildlife Services’ Killing Fields
Read: New York Time’s Editorial
Read: Sacramento Bee’s Expose Series
View: Scientists’ Scathing Study of “Wildlife Services”
Learn More About“Wildlife Services”