03/11/10

HELENA, Mont. (AP) _ The U.S. Forest Service must re-examine how
livestock grazing affects sage grouse habitat in southwestern
Montana after an appeals court ruled its original assessment was
not reliable.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the Forest Service
Tuesday to prepare a new environmental assessment for its livestock
allotments in the 48,000-acre Antelope Basin.

Tens of thousands of acres have been identified as sage grouse
habitat, but few of the chicken-sized birds can be found there.

Michael Garrity, of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, says the
ruling means the Forest Service must ensure that grazing will not
harm the sage grouse's recovery.

The Forest Service did not immediately return a call for
comment.


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