The Center for Biological Diversity filed formal notice that it plans to sue the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for what the group says is a failure to protect the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse and Mexican spotted owl.
The environmentalists allege the agencies have not protected riparian areas and meadows in the New Mexico Sacramento Mountains from cattle, endangering the species.
“It’s immoral and illegal for the Forest Service to neglect its responsibility to protect this critical habitat, and that failure will cause a local extinction,” said Robin Silver, co-founder of the Center.
At greatest issue for the group is the agencies’ biological opinion that decided cattle grazing in habitat would not harm the mouse. The group previously took legal action for the riparian areas in 2019 and 2021.
