Environmental advocacy groups have filed legal action to challenge a Trump administration proposal that would open up to 24 million acres of federal land to cattle grazing operations.

The plan would expand grazing access across various federal properties, including portions of sensitive landscapes such as areas near Grand Canyon National Park. The administration has characterized the initiative as part of broader efforts to increase agricultural use of public lands.

Opponents of the proposal argue that expanded cattle grazing could negatively impact wildlife populations, particularly species already facing conservation challenges such as wolves, grizzly bears, and steelhead salmon. Environmental groups contend that cattle grazing can alter vegetation patterns and affect water quality in streams through increased sediment and waste runoff.

The legal challenge centers on concerns about potential conflicts between livestock operations and native wildlife, including predator species that may come into contact with cattle herds. Conservation advocates argue that such encounters often result in the removal of predators from their natural habitats.

The lawsuit represents the latest in a series of environmental policy disputes between conservation groups and the current administration over the management and use of federal public lands. The case will likely determine the scope of grazing operations permitted on federally managed territories moving forward.