Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force v. State of Montana

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

FLATHEAD-LOLO-BITTERROOT No. 23-3754

CITIZEN TASK

D.C. No.

FORCE; WILDEARTH

9:23-cv-00101-

GUARDIANS,

DWM

Plaintiffs - Appellees, v. OPINION

STATE OF MONTANA; LESLEY

ROBINSON; GREG GIANFORTE,

Defendants - Appellants.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Montana Donald W. Molloy, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted January 12, 2024 Pasadena, California

Filed April 23, 2024

Before: Richard C. Tallman and Mark J. Bennett, Circuit Judges, and Robert S. Lasnik, District Judge. *

* The Honorable Robert S. Lasnik, United States District Judge for the Western District of Washington, sitting by designation. FLATHEAD-LOLO-BITTERROOT V. STATE OF MT

Opinion by Judge Bennett; Partial Concurrence and Partial Dissent by Judge Tallman

SUMMARY **

Environmental Law / Preliminary Injunction

In an action brought under the Endangered Species Act, the panel affirmed in part and vacated in part the district court’s preliminary injunction limiting wolf trapping and snaring in certain parts of…