Help Protect Grazing in Arizona!
The Center for Biological Diversity and the Maricopa Audubon Society have filed suit against the Coronado National Forest and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The plaintiffs claim that the FWS did not properly consider the effects of climate change on the Yellow billed cuckoo or the Sonora chub in issuing the September 21, 2021 Biological Opinion on grazing. The plaintiffs’ “Prayer for Relief” requests an injunction on all grazing, not merely in areas designated as Critical Habitat, but in all areas “occupied” by either of these two species, until a new Biological Opinion is issued. The process to produce a new Biological Opinion could take years if the court finds for the plaintiffs.
In other words, the plaintiffs are asking a federal court to suspend grazing indefinitely anywhere a bird can fly in the Coronado National Forest. The litigation impacts some 172 grazing allotments.
Presiding over the federal case is Judge Rosemary Marquez, who has granted SACPA intervenor status. Our counsel is Norman James, esq. from the Fennemore Craig law firm.
SACPA maintains that the two federal agencies, in fact, carefully followed all of the laws and legal procedures to produce this Biological Opinion on Ongoing Grazing on the Coronado National Forest (Cochise, Graham, Pima, Pinal, and Santa Cruz counties, Arizona, and Hidalgo County, New Mexico).
The plaintiffs are dragging the case out with “new information.” The extra time and legal fees for SACPA’s intervention are adding up fast.
TAKE ACTION
Two calf rollover fundraisers are planned in May. If you don’t have a calf to donate, please donate cash.
We are asking the maximum support from all cattle producers and cattle industry supporters for these important fundraisers, even if you don’t have cattle on the Coronado National Forest. If the plaintiffs win this case, expect the BLM and State lands grazing allotments to be their next target. They will then sue ranchers off the public lands in the entire Western United States, because the Yellow-billed cuckoo “occupies” grazing allotments across most of it.
To raise funds for legal fees, two calf rollover auctions are scheduled as follow:
Thursday, May 16, 2024 – Willcox Livestock Auction
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 – Marana Stockyards and Livestock Auction
Our goal is to auction 50 calves per sale.
Please contribute a calf or make a cash donation.
Send a check your generous contribution to:
SACPA
8200 E Box Canyon Rd.
Green Valley AZ 85614
Write Lawsuit Intervention in the memo line.
