Case: Advocates For the West and Idaho Conservation League challenge proposed coal & oil rail bridge in North Idaho
August of 2014 — BNSF Railway announced its intention to build a second rail bridge across Lake Pend Oreille. The bridge would accommodate additional rail traffic carrying crude oil from the Bakken and coal from the Powder River Basin to refineries and ports in the Pacific Northwest. The nearly mile-long new bridge would be located […]
Case: Idaho Conservation League, the Wilderness Society, EarthWorks, Friends of the Clearwater, Wilderness Watch v. Lannom, Keith B., and U.S. Forest Service
August 2, 2016 — the U.S. District Court ruled in our favor, finding that a Forest Service decision approving a mining company’s plan to deploy bulldozers, dump trucks and drilling rigs miles inside the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness violates the Wilderness Act, the National Forest Management Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. […]
Case: Environmental Assessment for the Golden Meadow Exploration Project
January 7th, 2015 — For the third time now, the Forest Service has issued a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and proposes to approve Midas Gold’s three-year exploration plan at Idaho’s historic Stibnite mining site. Twice – in response to our pressure – the Forest Service has withdrawn EAs for Midas’s exploration, citing the need for additional […]
Case: Notice of Intent to Sue EPA Under Clean Water Act for Failing to Prepare and Promulgate Toxics Standards in Idaho
April 30, 2013 — Advocates for the West sent EPA a Notice of Intent to Sue for failing to promptly revise these important water quality standards. We were able to craft a settlement agreement which gives IDEQ and other stakeholders time to complete fish consumption studies, but which sets a deadline to revise the standards […]
Case: Notice of Intent to Sue EPA Under Clean Water Act for Approving Idaho's Antidegradation Rule
The Clean Water Act requires every state to adopt Antidegradation Rules to ensure water quality is maintained and not degraded by new discharges of pollution. A key component of each state’s Antidegradation Rules is to prohibit new pollution discharges into the state’s “high quality” lakes, rivers, and streams unless the state determines, after thorough analysis with […]
Case: Idaho Conservation League, and Nez Perce Tribe v. U.S. Forest Service, NOAA Fisheries, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
June 23rd, 2014 — The U.S. Forest Service issued a letter to Midas Gold revoking its earlier approval of the company’s exploration plans, known as the Golden Meadows Exploration Project. The Forest Service revoked its earlier approval of the project and ordered Midas Gold to halt all work at the site, and that if Midas […]
Case: Salmon River Navigability challenge by Idaho Conservation League
January of 2014 — Advocates for the West’s Staff Attorney Bryan Hurlbutt filed a petition on behalf of the Idaho Conservation League asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to revisit its determination from the 1930′s that Idaho’s Salmon River is not navigable. Because of this flawed determination, the Salmon River and endangered fish species are not […]
Case: Idaho Conservation League v. State Board of Land Commissioners and Idaho Department of Lands
November 5, 2012 — Mr. Conklin abandoned his proposal and withdrew his lease application, which is a great victory for all who enjoy the beauty of the Salmon River! October 12, 2012 — Advocates for the West filed a Petition for Judicial Review on behalf of Idaho Conservation League challenging the State of Idaho’s approval of a […]
Case: Idaho Conservation League v. United States Environmental Protection Agency
January 3, 2012 — Advocates for the West filed a complaint on behalf of Idaho Conservation League against EPA for failing to comply with its duty under the Clean Water Act to either approve or disapprove Idaho water quality standards which aim to protect people who consume fish caught in Idaho’s lakes and rivers from […]
Case: Idaho Conservation League and Northwest Environmental Defense Center v. Atlanta Gold Corporations
July 19, 2012 — Advocates for the West received a strong decision from US District Court Judge Williams in our case against Atlanta Gold Corporation for its ongoing pollution of the treasured Boise River watershed. Judge Williams ordered Atlanta Gold Corp. to come into compliance with the Clean Water Act by October 31, 2012 and […]