S. Oregon timber sale halted for environmental study

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A judge has sided with two environmental groups in a ruling that halts a timber sale in southern Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest.

The Statesman Journal reported (http://stjr.nl/2ncLpla ) Monday that Judge Jolie Russo ruled that the forest must conduct a more comprehensive study of environmental impacts caused by the proposed logging project near Crater Lake National Park.

The timber sale calls for 1,400 acres of commercial thinning and construction of nearly 6 miles of temporary roads near popular recreation sites.

Russo’s ruling last week marks the second time the project has been delayed in court.

Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild brought the lawsuit against the timber sale, which was first halted in 2014.

Lawson Fite, with the American Forest Resource Council, disagreed with the ruling, saying the project will have “negligible or beneficial” environmental impacts.