APR sues MTDNRC over bison grazing stall

[Forkyfinder]

American Prairie sues Montana DNRC for bison grazing permits • Daily Montanan

American Prairie says that the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is illegally blocking grazing permits for its bison.

dailymontanan.com

"In court documents, American Prairie said that it submitted a completed application to the DNRC in 2019, requesting approval for bison grazing on state trust lands. DNRC requires a review under MEPA laws, but the conservation group argues that state law sets out a specific timeline. It argues that the DNRC must complete a public scoping within 60 days of a completed application, and an environmental review with in 90.

According to court documents, neither action has happened — something the agency doesn’t appear to dispute.

However, American Prairie officials say that despite communication to DNRC Director Amanda Kaster and though department officials recommended approving the lease, the agency has not yet acted on the six-year-old application."

 

[R.K.]

So this has been going on since the previous governor was in office.

I wonder who has been dragging their feet on this, and why. I know why the current admin is doing it, but this problem started before that.