This is Bob Wynne, sitting in for Floyd Wynne, with The View from Here.

It’s about time!

Our forests are burning up along with many homes, and the logging economy of the state is at a new low.

Every time a sale is offered by the National Forests, there is an environmental representative right there to petition a judge to require that the Nation Forest proceed to do a lengthy series of studies to make certain all environmental issues are roundly addressed. Needless to say it ties up the entire process and costs considerable money to do. As a result most sales are pulled off the calendar and nothing done.

But….things have changed!

In a little published appeals case involving an Idaho timber sale, the decision of the federal appeals court shocked the environmentalists in a decision that should change entirely the way timber sales are handled here in the West.

The court says the environmentalists have gone too far in holding up logging projects. They said the agencies planning the cutting must have more consideration than in the past. The ruling redefines the standards for when federal judges in much of the West can stop logging projects, tilting the playing field against critics of logging on public lands.

The decision, which was unanimous from the court which contains both Republicans and Democrats, was surprising since that court has been considerably liberal in past decisions. They acknowledged that the 9th Circuit judges had in earlier cases gone too far in requiring the Forest Service to provide detailed scientific evidence for every decision. It continued, we created a requirement not found in any relevant statute or regulation. We defied well established law concerning the deference we owe to agencies and their methodological choices….today, we correct those errors.

The big point will be in how the new ruling is carried out. As I said, with forest fires decimating much of our public lands, one had to wonder just how long these myopic environmentalists could continue to control the forests.

Already the environmental leaders are screaming that it will destroy the forests….they will cut down all the trees and destroy our pristine forests. One has only to take a drive out of Klamath Falls in almost any direction to see the lack of proper care in the forests. The lack of sales, of course, has hurt the funding for these same forest since not only are they limited, but presently in many of them fighting the fires is taking much of their budgets.

It will be interesting to see the future effects of this court ruling. After all, the only appeal above this court is the Supreme Court.

But as I said…..its about time!

This if Bob Wynne, sitting in for Floyd Wynne with The View from Here.

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Text Box:   This is Bob Wynne, sitting in for Floyd Wynne, with The View from Here. It’s about time! Our forests are burning up along with many homes, and the logging economy of the state is at a new low. Every time a sale is offered by the National Forests, there is an environmental representative right there to petition a judge to require that the Nation Forest proceed to do a lengthy series of studies to make certain all environmental issues are roundly addressed. Needless to say it ties up the entire process and costs considerable money to do. As a result most sales are pulled off the calendar and nothing done. But….things have changed! In a little published appeals case involving an Idaho timber sale, the decision of the federal appeals court shocked the environmentalists in a decision that should change entirely the way timber sales are handled here in the West. The court says the environmentalists have gone too far in holding up logging projects. They said the agencies planning the cutting must have more consideration than in the past. The ruling redefines the standards for when federal judges in much of the West can stop logging projects, tilting the playing field against critics of logging on public lands. The decision, which was unanimous from the court which contains both Republicans and Democrats, was surprising since that court has been considerably liberal in past decisions. They acknowledged that the 9th Circuit judges had in earlier cases gone too far in requiring the Forest Service to provide detailed scientific evidence for every decision. It continued, we created a requirement not found in any relevant statute or regulation. We defied well established law concerning the deference we owe to agencies and their methodological choices….today, we correct those errors. The big point will be in how the new ruling is carried out. As I said, with forest fires decimating much of our public lands, one had to wonder just how long these myopic environmentalists could continue to control the forests. Already the environmental leaders are screaming that it will destroy the forests….they will cut down all the trees and destroy our pristine forests. One has only to take a drive out of Klamath Falls in almost any direction to see the lack of proper care in the forests. The lack of sales, of course, has hurt the funding for these same forest since not only are they limited, but presently in many of them fighting the fires is taking much of their budgets. It will be interesting to see the future effects of this court ruling. After all, the only appeal above this court is the Supreme Court. But as I said…..its about time! This if Bob Wynne, sitting in for Floyd Wynne with The View from Here.      

Text Box: 7/08/08