Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, the Montana Department of Livestock and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) are suing the federal government over the National Park Service’s new Yellowstone National Park bison management plan. They say that the plan, which was finalized last summer, “violates federal law” and “is based on deficient analysis and puts livestock at risk for…brucellosis,” according to Montana Public Radio (MTPR).

“The National Park Service has repeatedly and consistently failed to engage with the state in a meaningful and transparent manner as required by law throughout the planning process,” said Gianforte. “NPS has not given us a fair shake and has ignored concerns raised by the state. We will always defend our state from federal overreach.”

The current plan allows for larger bison populations than the state believes should be allowed as they roam outside of park boundaries, bringing disease to livestock that graze nearby. The lawsuit calls for a cap to Yellowstone’s bison population at 3,000 animals compared to what the current management plan allows for – 3,500 to 6,000, according to the Cowboy State Daily.

“Bison represent a complex and contentious issue with both livestock producers and wildlife advocates,” said MFWP Director Christy Clark. “We had hoped for and asked for a better and more transparent process in developing this EIS. Those requests were ignored.”

Yellowstone Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said that the plan was “adopted after careful study of both the bison population and the surrounding habitat.” Current studies have confirmed that brucellosis is transferable between elk and cattle, but not between bison and cattle in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, which is what NPS used as a data point when determining the new management plan, according to MTPR.