"A federal judge in Montana has once again handed the Bureau of Land Management and its embattled former de facto acting chief, William Perry Pendley, another major legal defeat.

Chief Judge Brian Morris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana late yesterday [Friday] issued an order invalidating three major land-use plan revisions in Montana as a result of Pendley "unlawfully" leading BLM for more than a year.

BLM issued a statement this morning blasting Morris' order.

"The court's erroneous ruling continues to disregard basic facts and misapprehend how authority is delegated within federal agencies," it said."

Scott Streater reports for E&E News October 17, 2020. [2]