“The lack of oversight and accountability has led to rampant abuse by well-funded radical environmental groups who use EAJA to advance their agendas,” said Ellis. “The simple fact that millions of dollars in taxpayer funds have been awarded, with virtually no accounting of who received the payments is unacceptable.”

EAJA was originally passed in 1980 to allow plaintiffs to recover legal fees when they prevail against the federal government in court. However, it has repeatedly been exploited by environmental activist groups which target federal-lands agencies, and ultimately the ranching families who use the lands, at the expense of the taxpayer. From 2001 to 2011, environmental activist groups, some worth in excess of $50 million, have been awarded an estimated $37 million. During the same time period, more than 3,300 cases have been filed by just 12 groups, many of which were frivolous or filed on technicalities.

“When these groups file suit, farmers and ranchers are often forced to pay crippling legal fees to fight these unfounded attacks and defend their land, business and way of life,” said Brenda Richards, PLC president and Idaho rancher. “To add insult to injury, it’s their own hard-earned money that pays the legal fees of groups seeking to take them off the land.”