American Prairie filed a federal court complaint on Tuesday, August 4, challenging a Bureau of Land Management decision that would require the conservation group to remove more than 900 bison from six federal allotments in Montana by September 30. A second environmental group, Western Watersheds Project, announced plans to file its own lawsuit a day later.
Background on the Dispute
The conflict traces back to 2022, when BLM authorized American Prairie to graze bison on the federal allotments following a multi-year environmental review. The agency reversed that authorization in a May 8 decision, concluding that American Prairie’s bison do not meet a “production-oriented” standard under the Taylor Grazing Act — a determination the group disputes on legal grounds.
American Prairie contends the Taylor Grazing Act contains no such production-oriented requirement, and is asking the court to overturn BLM’s May ruling and reinstate the six permits. Western Watersheds plans to seek the same outcome through its own filing, though the group said it will not initially pursue an injunction.
Administrative Process Exhausted
Both groups had previously pursued relief through administrative channels, filing appeals with the Department of Interior’s Office of Hearings and Appeals and requesting stays to pause the BLM decision while those appeals were pending. The office had 45 days to act on the stay requests. That window expired Monday without a ruling, clearing the way for federal litigation.
“The next procedural step was to file in federal district court,” Beth Saboe, American Prairie’s Director of Public Affairs, told KTVQ.
American Prairie is also seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to halt the September 30 removal deadline while the case proceeds.
Stakes for the Herd
If the deadline stands and removal goes forward, American Prairie says it would be forced to cull at least 300 bison — a significant portion of the animals currently grazing on the six affected allotments. The group argues that outcome would cause irreparable harm to a conservation herd it has spent years building as part of a broader effort to restore native species to the northern Great Plains.
Ranching Community Pushes Back
The Montana Stockgrowers Association and the North and South Phillips County grazing districts sought to intervene on BLM’s side during the administrative proceedings, signaling that the ranching community views the Taylor Grazing Act’s purpose as directly tied to agricultural production.
Lesley Robinson, president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, drew a clear distinction between traditional grazing operations and what American Prairie is doing, telling KTVQ: “Production livestock grazing is raising a product for a food product. And a conservation herd is, that is not their intention.”
That framing reflects a broader tension in Montana’s rangeland politics, where conservation-focused land management organizations have increasingly sought grazing permits traditionally held by livestock operators — a trend that has drawn sustained opposition from agricultural groups and their allies in the Legislature and congressional delegation.
What Comes Next
With Western Watersheds expected to file its complaint Wednesday, federal judges will face the central legal question of whether the Taylor Grazing Act imposes a production-oriented requirement on permit holders — a reading BLM adopted in May but that both plaintiff groups argue has no basis in the statute’s text.
American Prairie’s request for emergency injunctive relief will likely receive the earliest attention from the court, given that the September 30 removal deadline is fewer than two months away. If a restraining order is not granted, the group would face the immediate prospect of culling hundreds of animals from its herd.
The outcome could have lasting implications for how federal grazing law applies to conservation herds across the West, and will be closely watched by ranching associations, tribal nations with interests in bison restoration, and federal land managers in Montana and neighboring states.
