The State of Alaska filed motions in federal court Monday to participate in lawsuits that seek to halt or delay the U.S. Forest Service’s planned Big Thorne timber sale on Prince of Wales Island.
The state’s action is meant to “protect the State, its political subdivisions and its citizens against the monetary and socioeconomic impacts of interference with timber supply in Southeast Alaska…”
The filings also claim that Alaska’s interests might not be adequately represented by federal defense attorneys.
The state asks for the right to participate at least as an amicus – or friend of the court. That is someone who is not a party to the case, but offers information that might be useful.
The final decision to move forward with the Big Thorne project was announced in late August, and five conservation groups immediately filed lawsuits protesting that decision.
The proposed timber harvest would include about 6,000 acres of old-growth rainforest. Environmental organizations say that acreage is critical habitat for deer and wolf populations.
The Forest Service is moving away from old-growth logging, but the switch to second-growth will take time. Federal officials and pro-logging groups say that old-growth harvests will need to continue during that transition for mills to survive.
