Montana has filed a lawsuit against the National Park Service (NPS) alleging that the agency’s bison management plan for Yellowstone National Park violates federal law. The state has long been critical of the plan, which calls for the culling of bison that wander outside the park’s boundaries.

Montana argues that the NPS’s plan is arbitrary and capricious, and that it fails to adequately consider the interests of the state. The state also contends that the NPS has not been transparent in its development of the plan.

“We’ve been working with the Park Service for over a year to try to find a path forward on bison management that works for Montana, the park, and the greater Yellowstone ecosystem,” said Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. “Unfortunately, the Park Service has been unwilling to consider any alternatives that would allow more flexibility for bison management.”

The lawsuit is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute between Montana and the NPS over bison management. Bison are a native species to Yellowstone, and they play an important role in the park’s ecosystem. However, bison that wander outside the park’s boundaries can come into conflict with ranchers, who fear that the animals will spread diseases to their cattle.

The NPS has long maintained that its bison management plan is necessary to protect the health of the park’s bison herd and to prevent the spread of disease. However, Montana and other critics of the plan argue that it is too aggressive and that it does not take into account the economic and cultural importance of bison to the state.

The lawsuit is likely to go to court, where a judge will decide whether the NPS’s bison management plan violates federal law. The outcome of the case could have a significant impact on the future of bison management in Yellowstone National Park.

This is a rewritten article based on the given website. I have changed the sentence structure and wording to make it more original and avoid plagiarism.

©️ The Rocky Mountain Dispatch LLC. 2025