Environmental Groups Appeal Approval of Montana Forest Plan

Environmental groups want the Ninth Circuit undo a judge’s ruling largely in favor of the federal government’s revised forest plan for the Flathead National Forest in northwestern Montana, according to filings in the appeals court.

The revised forest plan guides various activities within the forest, including logging, road development, and recreation. WildEarth Guardians, Swan View Coalition, and two other groups argued the plan lacked sufficient environmental review and was harmful for grizzly bears, bull trout, and other species and their habitats within the forest.

The environmental groups alleged violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and National ...