** Alaska judge stalls logging in Tongass National Forest
------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, March 13, 2020
Tongass National Forest, U.S. Forest Service ([link removed])
Once again, inadequate environmental review is causing the Trump administration to lose in court. A judge in Alaska sidelined the Trump administration's proposal to open part of the Tongass National Forest to logging. The plan, focused on Prince of Wales Island, would open up 1.8 million acres ([link removed]) over the next 15 years, as well as approving 164 miles of roads to be built throughout the national forest. "The Forest Service has not yet taken the requisite hard look at the environmental impact of site-specific timber sales on Prince of Wales over the next 15 years," wrote ([link removed]) Judge Sharon Gleason, who ruled on this case.
Specifically, the judge found that the Forest Service violated three laws ([link removed]) in the process: the National Environmental Policy Act, the National Forest Management Act, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The project is halted for now, but the decision will mostly likely be appealed by the Forest Service.
Quick hits
** Conflicts of mining on tribal land
------------------------------------------------------------
Bloomberg Environment ([link removed])
** The absurdity of Trump's bid to bail out oil and gas industry
------------------------------------------------------------
HuffPost ([link removed])
** Alaska judge stalls logging in Tongass National Forest
------------------------------------------------------------
The Hill ([link removed]) | Bloomberg Environment ([link removed]) | KINY ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])
** Barred from former clients, Bernhardt met with groups that represent them
------------------------------------------------------------
Sludge ([link removed])
** Buckskin coal mine to cut workforce amid declining production
------------------------------------------------------------
Casper Star-Tribune ([link removed])
** Another Colorado wilderness bill introduced in the Senate
------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** BLM may skip environmental review for pinyon and juniper clearcuts
------------------------------------------------------------
E&E News ([link removed])
** Editorial: The bill we've been waiting for
------------------------------------------------------------
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed])
Quote of the day
The [oil and gas] industry has gotten quite a few things off its wish list from this administration. Yet the administration is still willing to do more... When will it ever end?”
—Caitlin McCoy, environmental and energy law fellow at Harvard Law School, HuffPost ([link removed])
Picture this
** @BLMUtah ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Happy anniversary to the Dingell Act! Today marks one year since the signing of this historic conservation law! Learn more about what it means for public lands in Utah: [link removed] ([link removed])
Bob Wick, BLM
============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Medium ([link removed])
Copyright © 2020 Center for Western Priorities, All rights reserved.
You've signed up to receive Look West updates.
Center for Western Priorities
1999 Broadway
Suite 520
Denver, CO 80202
USA
** View this on the web ([link removed])
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
