Posted on 02/14/2005 9:21:25 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Three environmental groups sued the federal government Monday to block logging along a river in the northwestern corner of California.
The suit was filed in federal court to block logging of 744 acres of old forest along the Salmon River.
The suit alleges the latest proposed logging would add to damage already done by three other recent projects in the Salmon River's watershed. Those timber harvests were the targets of environmental lawsuits and tree-sitters two years ago.
Forest Service spokeswoman Janice Gauthier said she could not comment on pending litigation, nor had the service had time to review the suit. But the forest service said in its plan and appeals decisions that the timber sale is aimed at thinning smaller, fire-prone trees to protect larger, fire-resistant trees and open the forest canopy.
fyi
Updated article..
Logging challenged along Klamath River tributary
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/10899575.htm
DON THOMPSON
Associated Press
SACRAMENTO - Three environmental groups sued the federal government Monday to block logging along the Salmon River, a major tributary of the northwestern California river that saw one of the nation's largest fish kills in 2002.
The groups contend the U.S. Forest Service's proposed timber cuts would further endanger salmon populations in the region by raising water temperatures and adding sediment through erosion.
The suit was filed in Sacramento federal court to block logging of 744 acres of old forest along the federally designated wild and scenic river about 55 miles southwest of Yreka near the Klamath Mountains towns of Sawyers Bar, Forks of Salmon, and Cecilville.
The suit alleges the latest proposed logging would add to damage already done by three other recent projects in the Salmon River's watershed. Those timber harvests were the targets of environmental lawsuits and tree-sitters two years ago.
Forest Service spokeswoman Janice Gauthier said she couldn't comment on pending litigation, nor had the service had time to review the suit. But the forest service said in its plan and appeals decisions that the timber sale is aimed at thinning smaller, fire-prone trees to protect larger, fire-resistant trees and open the forest canopy.
The environmental groups contend the service is being deceptive, and the areas marked for logging "are primarily large-diameter old-growth canopy trees and wildlife snags rather than the 'smaller and intermediate trees'."
"Virtually every old growth tree is marked for logging," alleged George Sexton, conservation director of Ashland, Ore.-based Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, one of the nonprofit groups that sued. "They're going after old growth that the Fish and Wildlife Service says is critical to maintaining habitat for an endangered species, the northern spotted owl."
Many of those trees are three to five feet in diameter, he said.
The Klamath Forest Alliance and Environmental Protection Information Center joined in the suit alleging the timber cut violates the Klamath National Forest's management plan and regulations for protecting old-growth trees within the owl's habitat.
ON THE NET
Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center: www.kswild.org
Read the Forest Service's appeal decisions at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ecoplan/appeals/2005.htm#Klamath
Your neighborhood?
Is Felice in on this one?
Are they afraid of having their meth labs and pot farms discovered?
Yes and Yes. Felice is KFA, EPIC is Garberville, Klamath -Siskiyou wildlands is WWW. As far as dope and meth, probably to most likely. Gotta wonder when the Bush admin is gonna pull the plug on funding timber sales on the west side - total waste of time
Short version here...http://www.eurekareporter.com/Stories/fp-02110502.htm
Salmon River is in my district. These groups have been regularly and routinely protesting every fuel reduction project that has come out of the area. Belive me, all these projects have been gone over with a very fine tooth comb environmentally before they are ever offered. The enviros just plain won't allow the taking of any tree over 22 inches in diameter - doesn't matter how many of them there are and how overstocked and decadent the stands are. These are also extreme high fire risk areas. Geeee - wonder why? And yes, they are areas known for pot growing - both local and Mexican cartel.
This is an indicator of the socio economic iimpact on this area from a post mortem study of FEMAT (spotted owl) policies: Here are some statistics on the impact over a 10 year period (1990-2000) of environmental policies on the mid-Klamath River corridor area:
The population declined 22%. The number of residents aged 0-4 and 20-29 dropped by over 50%, while age 5-19 and 30-44 dropped 45%. Age 45-64 grew 86%. There was a 41.8% drop in school enrollment. Median household income declined from $31,236 to $20,924 (drop of 33%.) The number of households earning less than $10,000 grew by 24%. Unemployment climbed from 16.18% to 19.60% in 2000. (From Northwest Forest Plan Socioeconomic Monitoring Module: Klamath National Forest and Three Local Communities Case Study Review Draft - September 3, 2004.) [These statistics are from nearby mid-Klamath. It is far worse in Salmon River.)
Reminds me of Appalachia.
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