Blm

We must decide whether the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in reviewing the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to expand access for off-road vehicle recreation in the Imperial Sand Dunes Special Recreation Management Area, has complied with the requirements of the Endangered Species Act.

I

Just north of the Mexican border, in Imperial County, California, lies the Imperial Sand Dunes Planning Area, a 227,000-acre tract of desert, 214,930 acres of which is managed by the Bureau of Land Man agement (“BLM”). The expanse is home to the Algodones Dunes, the largest active sand dune system in the United States. A 138,111-acre portion of the Planning Area, designated as the Imperial Sand Dunes Special Recreation Management Area, is set aside for the protection of plants and wildlife, as well as for outdoor recreation. The Dunes consistently attract well over one million visitors annually, particularly off-road vehicle enthusiasts who flock to the area to take advantage of the unique terrain and beautiful landscape.

The current litigation, which has been ongoing for over a decade, originates from BLM’s decision to reopen land within the Imperial Sand Dunes Special…