Federal appeals court overturns Idaho wolf-killing ruling

A federal appeals court has overturned a U.S. District Court’s dismissal of a lawsuit by environmental groups challenging a federal agency’s killing of wolves in Idaho.

A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel on Tuesday ruled that U.S. District Court Judge Edward Lodge erred in January 2018 when he ruled in favor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services.

Specifically, the appeals panel ruled that the environmental groups have standing to bring the lawsuit, and sent the case back to the district court.

The environmental groups contend Wildlife Services’ 2011 study allowing it to kill wolves in the state is flawed because it relies on outdated information.

The groups say the Agriculture Department is violating environmental laws by killing wolves without a new environmental analysis.