Feds propose opening biggest national forest to logging

U.S. Forest Service is taking comments on a proposal that would exempt country’s largest national forest, in souast Alaska, from a ban on timber harvests and ro building in roless areas. This option is listed as preferred alternative by ncy in a draft environmental review and would exempt Tongass National Forest from so-called Roless Rule.

Alternative in line with a request from state

Forest Service says this alternative is in line with a request from state. state submitted a petition seeking an exemption in 2018.

ncy says alternative affects 9.2 million acres of inventoried roless areas and would convert 165,000 old-growth acres and 20,000 young-growth acres from a designation as unsuitable timberlands to suitable. Conservationists criticized plan as short-sighted and lacking in rationale.

Reconsideration of a federal order

Meanwhile,  U.S. Forest Service wants a federal judge to reconsider an order that halted tree-cutting across thousands of square miles of forest in Southwest, saying efforts to dress wildfire threats are hanging in balance.

order was issued last month in a 2013 case that alleged ncy failed to consider effects of thinning and logging on threatened Mexican spotted owl and its habitat. Environmentalists say U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service have failed over years to track bird’s numbers.

U.S. District Judge Raner Collins in Arizona agreed, sidelining timber manment activities until federal ncies come up with a way to count owls as part of a recovery plan.

“A misapplication of law and fact"

In a request filed with court late Thursday, Forest Service states that projects aimed at clearing overgrown forests and reducing threat of catastrophic fires would be compromised until at least 2023 when data on owl population trends are expected. Forest Service described situation as an injustice that resulted from “a misapplication of law and fact.”

“Delaying se projects increases threat of future large and severe fires which undermines USFS’s conservation efforts — t to mention health and safety benefits to surrounding communities,” filing states.

ban that resulted from court ruling excludes personal firewood cutting permits that rural residents rely on to heat ir homes and to cook. However, it does prohibit thinning projects, prescribed burns and commercial wood cutting across all five national forests in New Mexico and Tonto National Forest outside Phoenix. WildEarth Guardians also have asked judge to order parties into mediation to furr define ban.

John Horning, environmental group’s executive director, said WildEarth Guardians are willing to release from ban forest activities that do t harm owl. As a result of Forest Service’s action, he said Friday that ncy is seeking to re-litigate case rar than resolve it.

“ Forest Service is trying to convince judge that he got it wrong in first place,” Horning said. “This strategy delays opportunity for people to get back to work maintaining trails, securing wood products for ceremonial and religious purposes and thinning forests in dire need of that work.”

In six affected forests, federal officials identified 22 timber manment projects that span more than 12,500 acres that are outside areas that have been designated as critical for owl recovery. Ar five projects are located partially within such areas.

ncy says court should allow activities to proceed in those portions outside of owl habitat. Forest officials also are asking that small-scale, incidental tree cutting be allowed to continue.

Court documents show re are 33 prescribed fire projects partially or completely within owl habitat and ar 30 outside of owl habitat that is halted in region.

First listed as threatened in U.S. in 1993, Mexican spotted an owl is found in Arizona, New Mexico, Coloro, Utah, parts of West Texas and Mexico.