Judge clears path for local govts. lawsuit against Dept. of Forestry

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) – A judge has withdrawn an earlier opinion that appeared to jeopardize a lawsuit filed by Linn County and other governmental units over the management of state forest trust lands.
 
The Albany Democrat-Herald reports that Linn County Circuit Court Daniel Murphy ruled in June that Linn County and the 140 other counties and taxing districts included in the class-action lawsuit could not sue the state for monetary damages. That potentially threw a wrench in the lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Forestry.
 
The lawsuit seeks $1.4 billion from the state for failing to maximize logging revenues on forest trust lands.
 
The judge agreed to withdraw his decision after a July 13 meeting with attorneys for the state and Linn County.