Conservation Groups Sue BLM and Fish and Wildlife Service to Protect Endangered Species in Arizona Monument

Two conservation groups are suing the Bureau of Land Management (BLC) and Fish and Wildlife Service in an effort to save two federally protected species from the impacts of cattle grazing inside an Arizona national monument. The lawsuit alleges that the agencies are violating the Endangered Species Act by allowing livestock grazing to harm the habitat for the yellow-billed cuckoo and the Gila chub, which are federally protected and found within the Agua Fria National Monument. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Maricopa Audubon Society are asking the court to ensure adequate interim protection for the threatened and endangered species. This lawsuit follows a similar lawsuit filed by the conservation groups in 2022 that was voluntarily dropped that year after a settlement in which BLM and FWS agreed to reinitiate ESA consultation.