Utah Environmental Congress

2007 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2007 Results of the UEC Forest Monitoring Program

 

October
  • In response to a UEC appeal the Manti-La Sal withdrew the Blue Mountain Ranch logging project in the Abajo Mountains. This project was predicted on a need for fuels reduction, however a precommercial thin and prescribed fire were done just a couple years ago, obviating the need for the proposed logging. Forest staff indicated that this project was withdrawn due to the conflicts with Forest Plan standards protecting the Northern goshawk and its prey that were outlined in UEC's appeal.

September
  • The UEC successfully resolved its appeal of the Box Creek fuels reduction project, located in the Monroe Mountain area of the Fishlake National Forest.  The Forest Service agreed to drop roughly 300 acres of aspen clearcutting and road construction inside the UEC-proposed Box Creek Wilderness area.  The remaining project focused primarily on thinning smaller diameter trees in roaded areas immediately adjacent to developed private inholdings, with no new road construction.
  • UEC won its appeal of the Summit Springs timber sale.  Located in the mid-elevation mixed conifer zone just south-west of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area on the Ashley National Forest, the UEC appeal resulted in withdrawal of this logging project largely because it violated minimum Northern goshawk habitat standards and guidelines found in the Ashley National Forest Plan.  The logging project was also premised on inaccurate application of a logging paradigm specific to low elevation south-west Ponderosa pine to this 9,000 foot elevation mixed conifer site in the middle Rocky Mountains – in violation of the current NFMA rule to apply the best available science.
May
  • UEC won another decision at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals by stopping the Trout Slope West Timber Sale on the Ashley NF. This huge timber sale would have logged 10 million board feet of timber off 2,066 acres. That’s equivalent to about 3 ¼ miles of cutting units! The court agreed with UEC that the Forest Service violated the NFMA by failing to adequately monitor for water quality and the Colorado Cutthroat Trout, and failure to apply the best available science.
  • The Dixie NF withdrew its decision for the Bug Lake HFI timber sale in response to UEC’s appeal. This project would have logged 2 million board feet of mature and old growth Spruce habitat off of 240 acres. This timber sale was a spin off of the larger Griffin Springs timber sale that was stopped in 2006. Key issues were compartmentalization of the larger project and violations of the NFMA.
  • The Dixie NF withdrew its decision on the Mt. Dutton timber sale in response to UEC’s appeal. This salvage sale would have logged 10 million board feet of Engelmann Spruce on top of Mt. Dutton. About 150 acres of the project was inside an Inventoried Roadless Area. UEC appealed because of the Forest Service’s failure to conduct an EIS, faulty cumulative effects analysis, and violations of both the Forest Plan and NFMA.
  • The Forest Service reversed its decision on the West Bear Timber Sale due to UEC’s appeal. This large timber sale would have logged 5.7 million board feet of timber off 1,700 acres and constructed 1 mile of permanent road and 7.8 miles of temporary roads. The Wasatch-Cache NF failed to use its own wildlife monitoring data showing the timber sale would log an active northern Goshawk nest area in an established territory; cumulative impacts due to past logging in the same cutting units; and NFMA violations.
April
  • UEC appealed the Fishlake NF Travel Plan Revision that resulted in the Forest Service Regional Office ordering the Fishlake to change the final decision so it complies with the Roadless Rule. This resulted in the physical obliteration of 12+ miles of road; closure of 6 additional miles of road; and conversion of 20 miles of road to trail all in Inventoried Roadless Areas that was part of the original decision.
  • UEC worked with several other groups to appeal a cattle grazing EIS with 42 allotments on the Fishlake NF. The Forest Service resolution agreed to establish a collaborative process for revising some Allotment Management Plans, as well as monitoring and recovery targets for beaver, mountain mahogany, and aspen. UEC alone also successfully appealed a similar decision for this project back in 2001.
March
  • UEC won a split decision at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals stopping three large Forest Service logging projects totaling 31 million board feet of timber. The timber sale areas are home to a variety of wildlife species, including imperiled species. This lawsuit was filed to protect Management Indicator Species, as well as clarify appropriate NFMA regulations.
February
  • UEC resolved an appeal on the Dixie NF when the Forest Service agreed to provide protective measures for migratory birds and ensure timing restrictions for the duration of the project.
December 2006
  • UEC drafted a roadless area petition under the APA in direct response to the Utah Governor’s petition seeking to exploit all remaining roadless lands in Utah and turn management authority over to rural counties. UEC’s petition was support by 55 other groups, businesses and individuals both in Utah and out of state.
  • UEC won its appeal of the Lakes Timber Sale EIS on the Manti-La Sal.  The decision would have logged 820 acres of high elevation spruce/fir forests and constructed 3.25 miles of new roads.  The vast majority of the logging and roading would have been in unroaded extensions of Inventoried Roadless Areas.  UEC won its appeal because the decision was in violation of Forest Plan requirements to maintain a minimum level of deer and elk hiding cover.