(SitNews) Anchorage, Alaska - Governor Sean Parnell today announced the state has filed motions to intervene in lawsuits where various environmental organizations are seeking to halt the Big Thorne timber project in Southeast Alaska. The motions focus on the state’s interest in rebuilding and maintaining a healthy timber industry in Southeast and the damage the lawsuits could do to federal funds used for education and transportation in rural Alaska.

“Any delay to the Big Thorne project not only prevents the timber industry from contributing to a diverse and robust economy, but also reduces vital funding for schools and roads in our rural areas,” said Governor Sean Parnell. “It is important that we take an active role in the litigation and represent the interests of Alaska’s families and communities.”

The U.S. Forest Service took final action on the Big Thorne project on August 22, 2014, more than a year after the record of decision was originally issued. The project authorizes the harvest of 148.9 million board feet of timber and encompasses 8,500 acres. This is the only federal timber project in Southeast that could provide timber supply in the short term, as no other projects are far enough along in the review process.

In addition to the impacts on jobs in Southeast Alaska, the state is eligible for federal funds associated with Tongass timber harvests. These timber funds benefit Alaskans by paying for schools, roads and special projects in rural areas. A harvest reduction would likely lead to a cut in these funds.

The lawsuits were filed in late August by numerous environmental organizations, challenging the record of decision for the sale and the 2008 Tongass Land and Resource Management Plan. All three cases have been assigned to District Court Judge Ralph Beistline.

Edited by Mary Kauffman

On the WebL

A copy of one of the state’s motions:
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell_media/resources_files/mti_091514.pdf

Related:

Coalition files lawsuit challenging the largest timber sale in decades By MARY KAUFFMAN - A coalition of conservation groups filed suit Friday challenging the U.S. Forest Service decision to approve the Big Thorne timber sale on Prince of Wales Island. - More...
SitNews - August 25, 2014

Another Lawsuit Takes On Old-growth Big Thorne Logging Project - Suit Follows Scientist's Warning That Alexander Archipelago Wolves Are Threatened -A second lawsuit has been filed to stop the U.S. Forest Service’s Big Thorne timber project on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska. Big Thorne is by far the largest U.S. Forest Service logging project on the Tongass National Forest since the region’s two pulp mills closed about 20 years ago. - More...
SitNews - August 27, 2014

Source of News: 

Office of Governor Sean Parnell
www.gov.state.ak.us

SitNews ©2014
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources. E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.