Environmental, fishing groups sue Oregon over coho salmon

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A coalition of environmental and fishing groups have sued Oregon over allowing logging on state forest lands and allege the activity is damaging streams used by coho salmon.

The lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene challenges the state’s logging policies in the Clatsop State Forest and the Tillamook State Forest — Oregon’s two largest state forests.

The groups allege the Oregon Department of Forestry is violating the federal Endangered Species Act, which lists the coho salmon in that area as threatened.

The lawsuit asks the court to find Oregon in violation of the Endangered Species Act and to put a stop to logging until the state submits an acceptable plan to guarantee better protections for salmon.

The state has not yet seen the lawsuit and couldn’t immediately comment.