At least six employees of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are out of their jobs after a federal judge rescinded a self-governance agreement at the National Bison Range in Montana.

The tribe entered into an annual funding agreement to handle certain functions at the range. But Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that the Interior Department violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to explain why it didn't conduct an environmental analysis of its action.

The ruling came just days before the range's annual bison roundup. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service brought in six tribal employees as "emergency" hires in order to complete the roundup.

A group called Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility filed the lawsuit against DOI to end the funding agreement.

Get the Story:
Bison Range roundup goes on despite court ruling (The Missoulian 10/5)

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

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