Two federal agencies are appealing a recent court decision over how roads affect threatened species like grizzly bears.
The US Department of Agriculture and Fish and Wildlife Service are appealing a federal district court’s decision that says all roads, even those closed to motorized use, impact grizzly bears and bull trout.
Friends of the Wild Swan and the Swan View Coalition sued the agencies over the Flathead National Forest’s 2018 Management Plan, saying it did not consider the negative impacts of roads on wildlife.
Earlier this summer, U.S. District Court of Montana Judge Dana Christensen agreed.,. Both species are federally protected. Research has shown bears avoid roads and can be displaced from their habitat when roads are built.
The court ordered the US Fish and Wildlife Service to reevaluate the plan, but the agency is now appealing that decision.
It will be up to the ninth circuit court of appeals to decide the next steps.
