Groups appeal court ruling on Idaho wolf-killing lawsuit

Environmental groups are appealing a federal court ruling that a federal agency doesn’t need to do a new environmental study before being allowed to kill more wolves in Idaho.

Western Watersheds Project and four other groups filed the appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday.

U.S. District Court Judge Edward Lodge on Jan. 4 ruled in favor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services of Idaho.

Lodge says the environmental groups lacked standing because it wouldn’t matter if Wildlife Services stopped killing Idaho wolves because the Idaho Department of Fish and Game has demonstrated it can kill wolves.

Lodge didn’t rule on the environmental groups’ argument that Wildlife Services’ 2011 study that allowed it to kill wolves in the state is flawed because it relies on outdated information.