NEWS

Tribes criticize lawsuit challenging transfer of bison range

Associated Press

PABLO (AP) — Officials with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes say a lawsuit looking to halt a potential transfer of the National Bison Range to the tribes is not credible.

Attorneys for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed a lawsuit last week saying federal officials failed to conduct an environmental review before deciding to support the transfer of the bison range.

The Missoulian reports that CSKT Chairman Vernon Finley says the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which include former bison range employees in addition to the environmental group, have a history of opposing tribal involvement.

In the lawsuit, PEER claims the proposed transfer doesn’t ensure the future of the bison herd and doesn’t take into account the value of the refuge complex, which would be transferred to the tribes at no cost.