Setback: Tongass sale delayed
More headaches for the state’s small timber industry. U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason halted a planned federal timber sale on Prince of Wales Island in southern Southeast Alaska. Environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service claiming an inadequate environmental review. Gleason ordered an injunction, blocking the forest service from opening bids or taking other actions until the merits of the lawsuit were considered. Gleason acknowledged the delay could hurt local sawmills which need more timber supply.
She agreed with plaintiffs that the environmental review lacked specifics on the locations and timing of harvesting. The injunction affects a sale on 1,200 acres of old growth forest. Plaintiffs include the South East Conservation Council, Alaska Rain- forest Defenders and the Sierra Club.