Environmental groups receive $1.

25 million in grazing case

Updated: Wednesday, August 14, 2013 10:48 AM By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press
http://www.capitalpress.com/print/mp-malheur-attorney-fees-0

Environmentalists have won $1.25 million in compensation for attorney fees and costs in their years-long battle against cattle grazing in Oregon's Malheur National Forest. Last year, a federal judge ended a court battle between environmentalists, ranchers and the U.S. Forest Service over the effect grazing had on threatened steelhead habitat. During the nearly 10 years of litigation, U.S. District Judge Ancer Haggerty issued several injunctions that imited grazing at the request of the Oregon Natural Desert Association. .... The environmentalists "prevailed, or partially prevailed, on eight out of twelve claims eventually litigated, obtained substantial injunctive relief during the years prior to nal judgment, and most importantly, were able to reverse the degradation of habitat in the MNF and achieve substantial protections for threatened steelhead," the judge said. . . . .