Sheep grazing allotments in the Hells Canyon and Salmon River areas that were closed by the Forest Service in order to protect bighorn sheep, will stay closed. After closing allotments, the Service decided to allow grazing on the Allison-Berg allotment in November. But it then changed its position because the Nez Perce Tribe filed evidence of numerous sightings of native bighorn sheep on the allotment.
The court agreed with plaintiffs and the Service, finding that the:
“preponderance of the evidence suggests domestic sheep transmit a deadly respiratory disease to bighorns.”