Forest Service summaries: Litigation Weekly sept 21
The Bridger-Teton National Forest violated NEPA when it amended a special use permit for the Alkali Creek elk winter feeding station. (D. Wyo.)
New case: Crystal Clear Restoration Project on the Mt. Hood National Forest. (D. Or.) Discussed already here.
Notice of intent to sue under ESA: The Crystal Clear Project on the Mt. Hood National Forest may affect the northern spotted owl, spotted frog, and gray wolf.
BLOGGER’S NOTE: The NOI challenges the assumption that logging existing habitat would benefit the spotted owl, which was underlying some of our prior discussion of this project, and discussions of other projects in spotted owl habitat.
IN OTHER COURTHOUSE NEWS
An Oregon law restricting suction dredge mining in rivers and streams containing essential salmon habitat is not preempted by federal law and applies on federal lands.
- Santa Fe fuels project (audio)
Activist groups have filed suit against a planned tree thinning and burning plan on national forest lands near Santa Fe.
A federally-run sheep experiment station partly on national forest land in the Centennial Mountains of Idaho and Montana, and long targeted by environmental groups in lawsuits, will resume grazing sheep next year. One lawsuit is discussed here.