A federal judge on Friday invalidated three land use plans in Montana during William Perry Pendley‘s “unlawful” tenure as acting director of the Bureau of Land Management. “It remains probable that additional actions taken by Pendley should be set aside as unlawful,” District Judge Brian Morris wrote in his ruling. This opens the doors for litigation by environmental groups to try to overturn land management plans that would greatly expand mining and drilling on public lands. Other potentially illegal actions under Pendley could include moving BLM headquarters to Grand Junction as well as rewriting habitat conservation plans for the greater sage-grouse. (Greenwire $, Montana Free PressThe HillCourthouse NewsBloomberg LawBackpacker)