In an uncommon move, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum intervened in a case that involved the former legal clients of Karen Budd-Falen, one of his top deputies.

“While we are heartened by BLM’s protective language on tribal interests, COLT remains concerned about the potential negative precedential consequences of BLM’s final decision, which we believe is simply wrong on the law.”

“Bison grazed here for thousands and thousands of years. You know, they’re built for the landscape. They’re adapted to the landscape. Whether it’s drought or severe winter. They’re made to live here. They do very well here,” Heiderbrink said.

A dispute over the national mammal that reaches far beyond one herd and into the future of grazing law, tribal restoration, and the tension between ranching and conservation in the West.

As an enrolled member of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, I appreciate American Prairie’s approach, which emphasizes stewardship and rangeland health, whether that land is grazed by bison or by cattle. They have been consistently supportive of both.

As conservation efforts expand, so do recreational opportunities. In 2025, American Prairie recorded its eight consecutive year of increased visitation, welcoming more than 6,600 overnight guests to its huts and campgrounds and more than 5,000 visitors to its National Discovery Center in Lewistown.

The hypocrisy is blatant. If a private landowner can graze cattle on public land without risking permit loss, why should a neighbor who grazes bison be punished for doing the same thing, and more, for the public good?

The impetus of this decision is 100% political. It’s because the leaseholder is American Prairie. But the stated reason is because these bison aren’t sold at market.

It’s time to let the buffalo roam—and stop letting bureaucracy stand in the way.

Calling the proposed decision to rescind bison grazing permits on federal land “unlawful, factually incorrect, and procedurally deficient,” the Bozeman-based nonprofit conservation group American Prairie on Friday filed a protest with the Bureau of Land Management.

The administration’s proposal sets a dangerous precedent on public land management, reversing longstanding practice. Tribes in multiple states have voiced strong opposition to the BLM’s proposed decision, citing unintended and negative consequences for tribal buffalo herds. According to COLT’s letter of protest, as the Proposed Decision is currently written, it is unlikely that any tribal government or tribal citizen buffalo herd would ever be eligible for BLM grazing leases.

This decision is one of capricious overreach, violating equal protection and establishing a dangerous and destabilizing precedent. BLM lands are owned by ALL Americans, not just adjacent cattle ranchers.