Background:

For several years now, FWP has been involved in an Elk Management In Areas With Brucellosis program.

The 2004 Statewide Elk Management Plan (which is the current version) provided no process for managing elk with brucellosis in regards to livestock. In the years since the 2007 brucellosis cattle infections, the Department of Livestock of laid the brucellosis transmission vector at the feet of the elk. Without pursuing the legally and scientifically required environmental review to update management of elk, FWP pursued a rogue process that violated Montana law - establishing a working group to produce management actions which then went through FWP Commission approval process and because of the significantly radical program, has remained under Commission oversight.

Repeatedly, I and others have confronted FWP administrators in Helena and the FWP Commission with their deviation from their own approved program, but then researching the law, I began confronting them in the fall of 2013 with their legal responsibility to conduct an environmental review - MEPA. All of this process is documented on the Elk Brucellosis Management page, as well as the specific Park County "Working Group" page.

Enhancing Montana's Wildlife & Habitat v. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks and Montana Fish & Wildlife Commission
Lawsuit, Case number ADV201522

Jan. 10, 2015 Press Release