Denver Law Environmental Clinic Student to Argue Before U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals

Jenni Barnes, a third year law student in the Environmental Law Clinic at Denver Law, will argue before the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals at a special session of the court to be held in Boulder at 9 am on Thursday. The Court will be sitting at the University of Colorado School of Law.

The case involves a 2007 decision by the National Park Service regarding the management of Rocky Mountain National Park. The Park has an excess of elk, which have degraded the quality of willow and aspen habitat from overgrazing.

The Park Service decided to use "volunteer" sharpshooters to "cull" elk in the Park for the next 20 years. The Environmental Law Clinic's client, WildEarth Guardians, has challenged this decision on the grounds that the government should have considered reintroducing wolves into the Park to restore the natural elk-predator balance. In addition, the Appellant argues that the use of volunteer hunters to cull the elk population violates the Congressional ban on hunting in the Park.

DU Law community members are welcome to attend the 10th Circuit oral arguments. The CU organizers suggest that attendees get there early to ensure that they get through security and get a seat. They also suggest that attendees park in lot 308 for $8 cash/person.