Utah Environmental Congress:
In The News

Deseret Morning News, Monday, August 22, 2005

10th Circuit halts timber clearing in Fishlake Forest

Associated Press
 

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has halted a timber-clearing project in Fishlake National Forest, ruling that the U.S. Forest Service failed to adequately study the possible effects.

The appeals court upheld the Utah Environmental Congress' request to overturn a district court ruling that would allow the Forest Service to reduce stands of spruce and aspen on about 220 acres in Wayne County. The project's objective is to thin the stands most at risk for spruce beetle infestation while supplying local businesses with timber.

The UEC argued that the federal plan did not properly select indicator species to study the effect on the old-growth timber and the surrounding ecosystem and did not consider "a reasonable range of alternatives."
 

The appeals court found the Forest Service did examine reasonable alternatives, but it did not use suitable indicator species to assess the effect that clearing the trees would have.
 

It is the second time in less than a month the 10th Circuit Court has sided with the UEC. Last month, the court granted an emergency stay to halt a planned timber sale on Fishlake National Forest. Oral arguments for that case are scheduled for November.