Forest Service’s Logging Project Halted, Approach Ruled Unlawful

A US Forest Service logging project in Montana was put on hold Thursday after a federal district court found the agency failed to adequately consider the environmental impact on the local grizzly bear habitat.

USFS’ condition-based management approach, which defers specific decisions about treatments until later field reviews, to the Custer Gallatin National Forest-based project violated multiple federal environmental laws, Judge Donald W. Molloy of the US District Court for the District of Montana said. Molloy vacated the USFS’ approval of the South Plateau Landscape Area Treatment Project and partially granted summary judgment to the suing conservation groups.

“Because that ...