SNAMP news

  Appeals court stops feds plan to log Sierra Nevada forest - The Associated Press /Published 11:37 am PDT Wednesday, May 14, 2008/ A federal appeals court has barred logging in the Sierra Nevada forest. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says the federal government failed to explore other ways to raise money to fight forest fires when it approved a plan to award timber contracts to cut down trees on three sites. The Forest Service says the logging of commercially valuable trees is needed to help pay for thinning of less desirable smaller trees and brush. Environmental groups say the logging plan fails to protect scarce species such as the California spotted owl, martin and Pacific fisher. Attorney General Jerry Brown joined the environmental groups in appealing a lower court decision last year that authorized the government to allow the timber contracts. We'll keep you posted.

Comments

[Maggi]

Ann says: Just to clarify, the AP story is not entirely accurate. It is not
certain yet if the court's decision will apply to Sierra or Tahoe or any
other existing projects other than the three that are identified in the
Opinion: Basin, Empire, and Slapjack, which are all in Plumas National
Forest.