buffalo field campaign yellowstone bison slaughter Buffalo Field Campaign
West Yellowstone, Montana
Working in the field every day to stop the
slaughter of Yellowstone's wild free roaming buffalo

Total Yellowstone
Buffalo Killed
Since 1985
9,167
(past counts)

Yellowstone Bison Slaughter
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Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
This page chronicles Buffalo Field Campaign's use of the Freedom of Information Act
to gather baseline data from the US Forest Service, US Department of Interior
and Yellowstone National Park on land use within the Yellowstone bison herd's native range.

Buffalo Field Campaign's research is focused on grazing allotments run by the Gallatin National Forest, and the use of taxpayer funds to secure land conservation and wildlife habitat agreements in the Yellowstone ecosystem.

Included are Freedom of Information Act requests, follow-ups, responses from government agencies including referrals, redacted (deleted) records, the destruction of public records by the US Forest Service, and the appeals Buffalo Field Campaign has made, and continues to make, to release public records and waive fees where the public interest is served by disclosure.

As Buffalo Field Campaign continues its Freedom of Information Act fight to disclose publicly
valuable information on what our government is up to in Yellowstone,
we will post more information to this page as it becomes available.

Background Information:
Royal Teton Ranch - Devil's Slide Land Conservation and
Wildlife Habitat Agreement in Yellowstone Fact Sheet

Devil's Slide Conservation Easement Fact Sheet

Freedom Of Information Act Resources

Freedom of Info Act (PDF- 73kb)
* Freedom of Information Act 5 U.S.C. § 552, as amended.

DOI FOIA Regulations (PDF- 1.23MB)
* US Department of Interior's regulations (October 2002) implementing the Freedom of Information Act.


USDA FOIA Regulations (PDF- 148kb)
* US Department of Agriculture rules (July 2000) implementing the Freedom of Information Act.

FOIA Amendments (PDF- 48kb)
* February 2005 Congressional Research Service report to Congress on Amendments introduced in the 109th Congress to change the Freedom of Information Act. This report provides a brief history and current efforts to amend the federal people's right to know law: the Freedom
of Information Act.

Resource Maps
RTR - Royal Teton Ranch Land Conservation Agreement (Map PDF, 1.7MB)

Gardiner Allotments - Public Grazing Allotments in Gardiner Basin - Yellowstone's Northern Range (Gallatin National Forest, Gardiner Ranger District) (Map PDF, 1.7MB)

Freedom Of Information Act Chronology

FOIA Request to USDA-Animal & Plant Health Inspection Services, May 28, 2011 (Word Document- 46.5KB)
Request to USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services asking them to disclose information regarding plans to experiment with an immunocontraceptive vaccine on up to 100 wild buffalo from Yellowstone National Park. No buffalo would be returned to Yellowstone, many to be slaughtered.

FOIA Request to Yellowstone National Park, May 28, 2011 (Word Document- 46.0KB)
Request to Yellowstone National Park asking them to disclose information regarding the covert transfer of fifty-three Yellowstone bison, and potential transfer of up to forty-two more, to USDA-APHIS for frivolous immunocontraceptive vaccine experiments. No buffalo would be returned to Yellowstone, many to be slaughtered.

Freedom of Information Act Request Appeal- Request for Yellowstone National Park to Fully and Publicly Disclose Withheld and Redacted Records (PDF- 40kb)
* July 2005 appeal of the National Park Service's denial of BFC's appeal of Yellowstone National Park's decision to withhold and redact public records.

FOIA Appeal Addendum (PDF- 71kb)
* June 2005 addendum supporting Buffalo Field Campaign's appeal to overturn Department of Interior's decision to deny the group a fee waiver.

FOIA Fee Waiver Appeal (PDF- 63kb)
* June 2005 appeal by Buffalo Field Campaign of the Department of Interior's decision to deny the group's request for a fee waiver to access the agency's Royal Teton Ranch files.

Gallatin National Forest Destroys Records June 05 (PDF- 692kb)
* June 2005 letter from Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath to the Western Environmental Law Center confirming the agency removed and destroyed files from the Royal Teton Ranch land agreement.

Washington USFS private review June 05 (PDF- 101kb)
* June 2005 letter from the US Forest Service (Washington) providing a status update on Buffalo Field Campaign's appeal of the Regional Forester's decision to withhold records on public grazing allotments and the Royal Teton Ranch land deal. The letter notes the group's
request for disclosure of records is being released to representatives of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Church Universal and Triumphant to identify any records which may cause "substantial competitive harm" if disclosed.

NPS Denver Appeal Denial June 05 (PDF- 282kb)
* June 2005 letter from National Park Service (Denver) denying Buffalo Field Campaign's appeal of Yellowstone National Park's decision to withhold and redact records on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal.

Montana Senator Baucus Gallatin USFS response May 05 (PDF- 472kb)
* May 2005 letter from Sen. Max Baucus forwarding a response his office received from Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath on the protest letter sent to the Forest Service over the agency's conduct and treatment of citizens under the Freedom of Information Act.

Gallatin USFS referral May 05 (PDF- 236kb)
* May 2005 letter from Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath notifying Buffalo Field Campaign that records it had requested had been referred to the Northern Region for further review.

FOIA Appeal Yellowstone National Park May 05 (PDF- 51kb)
* May 2005 appeal of Yellowstone National Park's decision to withhold records and redact (delete) information on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal.

Department of Interior Fee Waiver Denial May 05 (PDF- 724kb)
* May 2005 letter from the US Department of Interior denying Buffalo Field Campaign's request for a fee waiver.

Yellowstone National Park April 05 (PDF- 2.58MB)
* April 2005 letter from Yellowstone National Park withholding records and redacting information on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal under the agency's deliberative process and attorney-work product privilege.

FOIA Appeal USFS April 05 (PDF- 48kb)
* April 2005 appeal of the US Forest Service's decision to withhold and redact (delete) records on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal.

Department of the Interior FOIA request April 05 (PDF- 24kb)
* April 2005 Freedom of Information Act request asking the US Department of Interior to disclose public records on the Royal Teton Ranch and Devil's Slide land conservation agreements, and to grant a fee waiver.

Montana Senator Max Baucus Help April 05 (PDF- 20kb)
* April 2005 letter to Sen. Max Baucus requesting his office's assistance in determining if the Gallatin National Forest destroyed records sought under the Freedom of Information Act, and seeking the disclosure of records withheld by the agency.

Gallatin National Forest records removed April 05 (PDF- 122kb)
* April 2005 letter from Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath responding to the Western Environmental Law Center's inquiry into how the agency may have removed and destroyed records sought under the Freedom of Information Act.

Western Environmental Law Center records destruction April 05 (PDF- 339kb)
* April 2005 letter from Western Environmental Law Center to Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath asking the agency to provide a response to the agency's the potential removal and destruction of records sought under the Freedom of Information Act.

Gallatin National Forest Conduct March 05 (PDF- 33kb)
* March 2005 letter from Buffalo Field Campaign to Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath protesting the agency's conduct and treatment of citizens inspecting public records under the Freedom of Information Act.

Northern Region USFS March 05 (PDF- 2.23MB)
* March 2005 letter from Regional Forester Abigail Kimbell redacting and withholding information from records requested on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal and public grazing allotments.

Washington USFS Feb 05 (PDF- 1.39MB)
* February 2005 response to Buffalo Field Campaign's appeal of the Regional Forester's decision to withhold records on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal. The US Forest Service (Washington) discloses previously withheld records and redacts information from one record.

Gardiner National Forest canceled visit Feb 05 (PDF- 25kb)
* February 2005 letter from Gardiner District Ranger Ken Britton recounting the circumstances of the Gallatin National Forest canceling an arranged visit to review files held by the District.

Gallatin National Forest USFS Feb 05 (PDF- 121kb)
* February 2005 letter from Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath on the agency's interpretation of an aborted visit to inspect and review files held by the agency.

FOIA request on grazing allotments and Royal Teton Ranch land deal Gardiner District Rangeer Feb 05 (PDF- 21kb)
* February 2005 request to Gardiner District Ranger Ken Britton to conduct a follow-up review of files on grazing allotments and the Royal Teton Ranch land deal. The Gardiner District Ranger agreed to allow the visit, which was subsequently canceled by the Gallatin National Forest.

FOIA Request Royal Teton Ranch Land Deal Feb 05 (PDF- 25kb)
* February 2005 request to inspect and review Gallatin National Forest files on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal. This request was denied, and the Gallatin National Forest canceled a visit arranged with the Gardiner District Ranger to review files on grazing allotments and the Royal Teton Ranch land deal. (See also FOIA review Gardiner Feb 05 copy.pdf and Gardiner canceled visit Feb 05 copy.pdf)


FOIA Appeal followup Jan 05 (PDF- 24kb)
* January 2005 letter to the US Forest Service (Washington office) notifying the agency its response is past due for Buffalo Field Campaign's appeal of the agency's decision to withhold records.


Gallatin USFS private review Nov 04 (PDF- 81kb)
* November 2004 letter from Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Rebecca Heath notifying Buffalo Field Campaign that records it had requested had been referred to private parties for review, with a final determination by the Northern Region.

Gardiner District USFS Oct 04 (PDF- 78kb)
* October 2004 letter from Gardiner District Ranger Ken Britton acknowledging records are being reviewed to see if the agency can release them.

FOIA Appeal USFS Oct 04 (PDF- 33kb)
* October 2004 appeal of the US Forest Service's decision to withhold
records requested by Buffalo Field Campaign (June 2004) on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal.

FOIA followup USFS Sept 04 (PDF- 24kb)
* September 2004 follow-up letter to the Northern Region of the US Forest Service requesting the agency to provide its final determination on records withheld for further review.

Northern Region USFS private review Aug 04 (PDF-99kb)
* August 2004 letter from Northern Region US Forest Service stating that records requested for disclosure were being withheld at the direction of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Church Universal and Triumphant.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation July 04 (PDF-131kb)
* July 2004 letter from the Gallatin National Forest Acting Supervisor to Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation's legal counsel asking them to review Buffalo Field Campaign's request to disclose public records, and notify the US Forest Service of any records they want withheld.

Datsopoulos -Church Universal Triumphant July 04 (PDF-133kb)
* July 2004 letter from the Gallatin National Forest Acting Supervisor to the Church Universal and Triumphant's attorneys asking them to review Buffalo Field Campaign's request to disclose public records, and notify the US Forest Service of any records they want withheld.

Gallatin USFS withheld records July 04 (PDF- 258kb)
* July 2004 letter from the Gallatin National Forest Acting Forest Supervisor identifying a list of records withheld for further review by the Northern Region.

FOIA Gallatin National Forest June 04 (PDF- 86KB)
* June 2004 Freedom of Information Act and fee waiver request to the Gallatin National Forest asking the agency to release public records on the Royal Teton Ranch land deal. The request is for records already reviewed and inspected at the agency's Bozeman, Montana office.


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Questions about the FOIA contact: Darrell Geist z@wildrockies.org
Buffalo Field Campaign West Yellowstone Montana
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