Duluth News Tribune 27 Jan, 2009
A federal judge
has dismissed a lawsuit by the Sierra Club and other groups that
challenged parts of the long-term plan for the Superior National
Forest.
In a ruling released Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz dismissed the environmental groups’ claims that Superior Forest officials had violated the National Environmental Policy Act in developing the long-term forest plan in 2004.
In the suit, filed in August 2006, the groups contended that the forest plan does not adequately consider the effects of nearby logging and other forest activities on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The groups also claimed the Forest Service used flawed data for the plan regarding roads and trails.
Other plaintiffs in the suit were Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness and Defenders of Wildlife.
“We’re very pleased with the ruling. This allows us to continue to continue operating under our forest pan without re-working it,’’ Jim Sanders, supervisor of the Superior National Forest, said Wednesday. “It confirms the work we did in the plan to understand the effects (of forest management) on the Boundary Waters.’’
Wayne Brandt, executive vice president of the Minnesota Timber Producers Association and Minnesota Forest Industries, which entered the suit to defend the Forest Service plan, said the ruling reiterates that the BWCAW “continues to be properly protected’’ and that roads and trails in other parts of the national forest “are also appropriately managed.’
Sierra lawsuit against Forest Service dismissed
Duluth News Tribune 27 Jan, 2009
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the Sierra Club and
other groups that challenged parts of the long-term plan for the
Superior National Forest. (more)