RENO, Nev. (AP) — A federal judge has upheld the U.S. Forest Service's authority to keep a 250-mile motorcycle race out of sage grouse habitat in Nevada's high desert.
Judge Miranda Du in Reno rejected a lawsuit by off-road vehicle enthusiasts who argued the agency illegally short-circuited the environmental review process. They had challenged rules barring off-road travel within 4-mile buffers around bi-state grouse breeding groups between March 1 and June 30 along the California-Nevada line.
That forced the Sierra Trail Dogs to postpone the race traditionally held in mid-June to mid-July. They argued unsuccessfully the move greatly increased fire risks and should have been subject to additional environmental review.