Montana tribe drops court case in National Bison Range agreement

Friday, February 4, 2011  

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana won't be fighting a judge's decision to rescind a self-governance agreement at the National Bison Range in Montana.

The tribe appealed after Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said the Interior Department violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to explain why it didn't conduct an environmental analysis of the agreement. But the tribe withdrew the case.

“We decided a long, drawn-out court battle was not the best way to protect the Bison Range resources,” Chairman E.T. “Bud” Moran said in a statement to The Polson Leader Advertiser. “We look forward to continuing our relationship with our federal partners.”

Moran indicated that the tribe could negotiate a new annual funding agreement.

Get the Story:
CSKT drops Bison Range appeal (The Polson Leader Advertiser 2/4)

District Court Decision:
Reed v. Salazar (September 28, 2010)

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