Judge Backs Forest Service on Tomahawk Timber Sale
Posted on: Thursday, 23 March 2006, 06:00 CST
By Duluth News-Tribune, Minn.
Mar. 23--A federal judge has backed plans by the U.S. Forest Service to allow logging in an area of the Superior National Forest north of Isabella.
Judge Joan Erickson said the Forest Service adequately studied the environmental effects of logging in the Tomahawk area, just south of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The Forest Service received help defending the logging plan in court from the state's timber industry.
The Sierra Club filed the suit in federal district court in May to stop the Forest Service from selling trees in the area. The Sierra Club said the Forest Service failed to consider the effects of logging near the BWCAW.
In the decision, released Tuesday, Erickson wrote, "Based on the record, the Court concludes that the Forest Service's analysis is sufficient to demonstrate that the Forest Service took a hard look at the visual and auditory impacts of the Tomahawk project, and, in particular, to the impacts to the BWCAW and its users. In addition, the Forest Service identified the relevant areas of concern and made a convincing case that any impacts were not significant."
"It confirms that our decision on management there was based on good science," said Barb Soderberg, Superior National Forest public service team leader.
"This is a tremendous victory for forest management," said Wayne Brandt, executive vice president of the Minnesota Timber Producers industry group. "The Sierra Club's claims were all rejected, so now we can go on about the business of improving the forest and its wildlife habitat while providing the products that we all use."
The Forest Service could begin selling trees in the Tomahawk area this year.
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Copyright (c) 2006, Duluth News-Tribune, Minn.
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Source: Duluth News-Tribune (Duluth, Minn.)
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