Yurok Tribe v. US Bureau Of Reclamation‒Ninth Circuit Amicus
Published Friday, September 4, 2026
On Aug. 13, California Farm Bureau and a coalition of Western water-supply and farming groups filed an amicus brief urging the full U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear Yurok Tribe v. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
The case turns on when Section 7 of the federal Endangered Species Act requires a federal agency to modify the operation of a water project to protect a listed species. The issue has significant implications for Western farms, water districts, communities and tribes that rely on federally managed water projects, and it continues to arise during periods of water scarcity and conflicts involving ESA compliance.
The amicus brief asks the court to hear the case “on the bench” and restore one uniform rule.
Staff contact: Kari Fisher, kfisher@cfbf.com.
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