RJ
09-05-2006, 02:45 PM
On Thursday, August 31st, a federal district court judge from the District of Columbia ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was required to examine more fully the cumulative environmental impacts of hunting on 37 National Wildlife Refuges before issuing regulations that opened or expanded hunting opportunities on these refuges.
The suit was brought back in 2003 by a number of animal rights groups who seek to thwart hunting on the refuges of the National Wildlife Refuge system. Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, California Waterfowl Association and the Isaak Walton League intervened to defend against this challenge to hunting on the refuges.
Although the Court's decision could result in costly and cumbersome environmental analysis for the FWS, the ruling, for the time being, has no direct impact on hunting on the 37 refuges at issue in the case or on any of the hundreds of refuges on which hunting takes place. In fact, the federal court judge expressly avoided the Plaintiffs' request that hunting be stopped on the 37 refuges at issue in the case.
Instead, the Judge directed all the parties to participate in briefings to help decide the remedy to resolve the litigation. In essence, the judge invited the parties to comment on whether the environmental analysis could be completed without the need for an interruption of hunting at these refuges.
Safari Club International President Ralph Cunningham remarked: "This recent opinion is unfortunate, but we are pleased that the Court appears to be interested in hearing more about how hunting can continue while additional analysis is conducted. We intend to make the very most of the opportunity the judge has presented to explain how beneficial and necessary hunting is to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's ability to administer the refuges and manage their wildlife."
SCI Executive Director Tom Riley explained: "We see this phase of the lawsuit as a golden opportunity for the hunting community to display the value of hunting and role of the hunting community in refuge wildlife management. We will continue to represent all hunters who value refuge hunting opportunities in our joint effort to continue and expand hunting within our National Wildlife Refuge system."
SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s 173 Chapters represent all 50 United States as well as 13 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit www.safariclub.org or call 520-620-1220 for more information.
Contact:
Anna Seidman, Litigation Counsel
SCI-DC
aseidman@sci-dc.org
202-543-8733
The suit was brought back in 2003 by a number of animal rights groups who seek to thwart hunting on the refuges of the National Wildlife Refuge system. Safari Club International, U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl, California Waterfowl Association and the Isaak Walton League intervened to defend against this challenge to hunting on the refuges.
Although the Court's decision could result in costly and cumbersome environmental analysis for the FWS, the ruling, for the time being, has no direct impact on hunting on the 37 refuges at issue in the case or on any of the hundreds of refuges on which hunting takes place. In fact, the federal court judge expressly avoided the Plaintiffs' request that hunting be stopped on the 37 refuges at issue in the case.
Instead, the Judge directed all the parties to participate in briefings to help decide the remedy to resolve the litigation. In essence, the judge invited the parties to comment on whether the environmental analysis could be completed without the need for an interruption of hunting at these refuges.
Safari Club International President Ralph Cunningham remarked: "This recent opinion is unfortunate, but we are pleased that the Court appears to be interested in hearing more about how hunting can continue while additional analysis is conducted. We intend to make the very most of the opportunity the judge has presented to explain how beneficial and necessary hunting is to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's ability to administer the refuges and manage their wildlife."
SCI Executive Director Tom Riley explained: "We see this phase of the lawsuit as a golden opportunity for the hunting community to display the value of hunting and role of the hunting community in refuge wildlife management. We will continue to represent all hunters who value refuge hunting opportunities in our joint effort to continue and expand hunting within our National Wildlife Refuge system."
SCI-First For Hunters is the leader in protecting the freedom to hunt and in promoting wildlife conservation worldwide. SCI’s 173 Chapters represent all 50 United States as well as 13 other countries. SCI’s proactive leadership in a host of cooperative wildlife conservation, outdoor education and humanitarian programs, with the SCI Foundation and other conservation groups, research institutions and government agencies, empowers sportsmen to be contributing community members and participants in sound wildlife management and conservation. Visit www.safariclub.org or call 520-620-1220 for more information.
Contact:
Anna Seidman, Litigation Counsel
SCI-DC
aseidman@sci-dc.org
202-543-8733