Forest Service auctions roadless area timber in Oregon
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Despite protests by the governor of Oregon and environmentalists, the U.S. Forest Service on Friday auctioned off the first timber from a roadless area of a national forest since the Bush administration eased rules on logging.
Hours after the auction, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said he would seek a court order blocking the harvest, based on a lawsuit that Oregon, Washington, California and Mexico have filed challenging the legality of the administration's overhaul of protections of the 58.5 million acres of undeveloped areas in national forests known as roadless areas.
"Opening this particular roadless area to salvage logging now — when we are in the process of preparing a petition to the federal government on the proper management of those areas — contradicts the assurances the Bush Administration has made that the governors' opinions on such issues will be respected," Kulongoski said in a statement.
stealing while they can
Hours after the auction, Gov. Ted Kulongoski said he would seek a court order blocking the harvest, based on a lawsuit that Oregon, Washington, California and Mexico have filed challenging the legality of the administration's overhaul of protections of the 58.5 million acres of undeveloped areas in national forests known as roadless areas.
"Opening this particular roadless area to salvage logging now — when we are in the process of preparing a petition to the federal government on the proper management of those areas — contradicts the assurances the Bush Administration has made that the governors' opinions on such issues will be respected," Kulongoski said in a statement.
stealing while they can
