Posted on 03/18/2004 9:06:17 AM PST by writer33
Coeur d'Alene _ Two environmental groups have sued the Idaho Panhandle National Forests over failure to provide information that they say is offered free by other national forests.
The Spokane-based Lands Council and the Selkirk Conservation Alliance sued the Forest Service in federal court last Friday. No dates have yet been set for hearings or trial.
The groups had requested geographic information systems data from the Panhandle Forest's electronic database. The request, sought under the Freedom of Information Act, asked for data on old growth trees, wildlife, snowmobile access and other information.
The groups said the Panhandle Forest wanted to charge them, while staffers at the Colville National Forest supplied the same sort of information for free.
"Requests from the Lands Council usually require much more documentation and information than a typical request," Panhandle Forest spokesman Dave O'Brien said.
In such a case, the agency is allowed by regulation to collect "reasonable fees," O'Brien said.
In addition, agency regulations say requests for maps or GIS data are not granted through FOIA. They are handled through the Agriculture Act, which also allows fees to be charged.
"Treating all people the same is what we strive to do in government," O'Brien said.
But Mark Sprengel of the Selkirk Conservation Alliance said the forest's action appears to single out the Alliance and Lands Council.
"For small nonprofits, it shuts off information," said Sprengel, executive director of the Priest Lake-based conservation group. "It's not like it's top secret."
Federal courts in Idaho are hearing a similar case filed against the Bureau of Land Management by the Western Watersheds Project.
The environmental group claims the BLM has improperly charged it for documents requested under FOIA.
Oh. You just don't like it because it applies to you, wacko.
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