Group to file suit over large timber sale
A potential legal challenge could result in the delay or termination of timber sales in the Kootenai National Forest that were scheduled to begin this winter as part of the East Reservoir Project.
Attorney Timothy Bechtold, representing the Alliance for The Wild Rockies, sent a notice of intent to file suit on Dec. 2, 2014, to the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and their parent agencies. The notice alleges the record of decision signed on Oct. 27, 2014 fails to adequately address the protection of bull trout, white sturgeon, Canada lynx and grizzly bear species native to the impacted area.
The East Reservoir Project, approximately 15 miles east of Libby, will contribute approximately 39 million board feet of timber products to the economy, according to the final record of decision issued by the Forest Service. Of that amount, Forest Supervisor Chris Savage said about 6.5 million board feet would be available in sale packages as early as this winter.
Lincoln County Commissioner Greg Larson was dismayed by the news of a possible delay in the timber sale.
“We need a sustainable and predictable source of timber in Lincoln County,” Larson said. “The lack of a predictable timber supply prevents companies from wanting to invest the millions of dollars needed to build a mill here.”
Larson said the county commissioners have been working hard to improve timber management in the area, the work that has been done in cooperation with the Forest Service and other stakeholders to ensure proper management of forest resources from both an environmental and economic standpoint. Suits such as this, Larson said, “are detrimental to those efforts.”
Larson condemned the group, saying “The Alliance for the Wild Rockies’ suit is not about the environment, it’s about a business model to stay in existence.”
Commissioner Mark Peck agreed, labeling the group’s claims as “categorically false.” He continued, “I’m not critical of all environmental groups. There are a number of them working up here. They’ve got their feet on the ground, and they are engaged. AWR isn’t one of those groups.”
Savage, who signed the final record of decision, declined to comment on the specifics of the notice. He did, however, comment on the decision. “We definitely stand by the science,” he said. “Our specialists work with researchers to make sure we’re doing it right. We use the best available science.”
Savage said support for the East Reservoir Project was widespread. “We had a lot of support for the project, including the Kootenai Forest Stakeholders group.”
Even with that broad base of support, though, litigation from one party can stop the process in its tracks. The notice doesn’t stop the process from moving forward, nor would a filed lawsuit. The judge assigned to the case, should one be filed, could issue an injunction that would halt any logging on the project.
“It’s not really about this 6.5 million board feet,” Peck said. “This is a drop in the bucket. It’s the cumulative effect of all of these lawsuits. These delays mean people in Lincoln County aren’t pulling logs to support themselves. It means the county doesn’t get the 25 percent of timber receipts into the county coffers.”
The East Reservoir Project had been tied up in the permitting process for years. The first public comment period was held in 2010.