Jon Marvel strikes again, this time winning a federal injunction that sharply limits grazing practices in the Owyhee Canyonlands that will remain in effect until the Bureau of Land Management officials complete environmental studies on grazing impacts in the area.

The injunction, issued by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill, comes as a result of a suit brought by Marvel's Idaho Watersheds Project and the Committee for Idaho's High Desert over grazing on the 1.8 million acre Owyhee Resource Area.

"We are pleased that the court has agreed that more needs to be done to protect Owyhee county from grazing mismanagement," said Laird Lucas, an attorney with the LAW fund who represents environmental groups.

Under the injunction, BLM officials will be forced to undertake environmental studies of grazing on all "high priority" allotments on the resource area by 2003, much earlier that the BLM had planned.

Winmill, in his order, expressed confidence that the agency can accomplish the task, stating, "The court is confident that the BLM will obtain funding necessary to meet an expedited schedule."

Until the allotment reviews are completed, grazing will be required to meet several "interim measures" designed to protect water quality and streamside areas from livestock trampling and other impacts.