Conservation Group Sues State, Seeks Action on Delayed Permit Renewal
American Prairie filed suit in Lewis and Clark County District Court on November 18, 2025, asking a judge to compel the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to act on a grazing permit renewal the nonprofit says was completed and submitted in 2019. The case raises questions about agency compliance with statutory timelines, the scope of the Montana Environmental Policy Act, and how state agencies balance conservation initiatives with local livestock interests.
American Prairie initiated litigation on November 18, 2025, in Lewis and Clark County District Court seeking a writ of mandamus to force the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to move forward on a grazing permit renewal it says has been on file since 2019. The complaint alleges the department has delayed action for six years and at times has contended it is not subject to the Montana Environmental Policy Act or that it cannot act while federal leases are contested.
The suit frames the delay as a violation of statutory timelines and as discriminatory treatment relative to other applicants. It notes overlapping federal litigation over Bureau of Land Management leases that adjoin the state parcels at issue, and it says the state agency has cited those federal matters as a reason for inaction. American Prairie argues that DNRC can and should complete its own MEPA review rather than await federal processes that could take years.
The dispute sits at the intersection of land use governance and conservation policy. American Prairie operates a large scale bison conservation initiative and has been engaged in acquiring grazing rights on state trust lands. State officials have expressed concern in other venues about impacts to cattle producers, and the lawsuit highlights broader tensions between conservation driven operations and traditional livestock interests. Attorneys representing American Prairie in the suit are based in Helena.
For Lewis and Clark County residents the case matters because it tests how quickly a state agency must process permit applications and how the agency interprets environmental review responsibilities. A judicial order requiring DNRC to act could accelerate decision making not only for this applicant but for other parties waiting on state land authorizations. Conversely, a ruling that allows prolonged delay could reinforce agency discretion to align its process with federal litigation timetables.
The legal outcome will influence local stakeholders including ranchers, conservation groups, and public officials responsible for land use policy. The case is likely to draw attention to DNRC procedures, the reach of MEPA, and the balance of state and federal processes in managing Montana trust lands.
