Wildearth Guardians v. United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspe

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

WILDEARTH GUARDIANS; No. 23-2944

WESTERN WATERSHEDS

D.C. No.

PROJECT,

3:21-cv-00508-

LRH-CLB

Plaintiffs - Appellants,

v. OPINION

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT

OF AGRICULTURE ANIMAL

AND PLANT HEALTH

INSPECTION SERVICE WILDLIFE

SERVICES; UNITED STATES

FOREST SERVICE; UNITED

STATES BUREAU OF LAND

MANAGEMENT,

Defendants - Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Nevada Larry R. Hicks, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted October 8, 2024 Las Vegas, Nevada

Filed April 21, 2025 Before: Carlos T. Bea, Morgan B. Christen, and Mark J. Bennett, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge Christen

SUMMARY *

Environmental Law

The panel affirmed the district court’s summary judgment in favor of Wildlife Services, an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, on a claim under the Wilderness Act brought by WildEarth Guardians and Western Watersheds Project (“Appellants”), but vacated the district court’s summary judgment in favor of Wildlife Services on…