PISGAH NATIONAL FOREST, N.C. (WLOS) — A lawsuit has been filed against the US Forest Service over what environmental groups call an “unlawful” logging project in Pisgah National Forest.
"The reason that we're in court is because not only did the Forest Service fail to provide notice to the public about a logging project under NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) as they were required to do, but also because they're doing that in an area that is just so sensitive and important," said Sam Evans, Southern Environmental Law Center's (SELC) national forests and parks program leader.
SELC is representing and the Center for Biological Diversity in this lawsuit.
Complaint 125-cv-393
Will Harlan, the Southeast Director of the Center for Biological Diversity, discussed the environmental impacts of the logging project on the nearby Nolichucky River.
CONSERVATION GROUPS SUE US FOREST SERVICE OVER NANTAHALA LOGGING PLANS
"Logging on a steep slope right next to this phenomenal river is going to pollute that river. It's going to clog it with sediment. It's going to kill endangered species," said Harlan.
Evans said they first found out about the logging after they learned that a large area of Pisgah National Forest along the Nolichucky River was closed to the public.
"The project area that they originally posted as closed to the public was about 135 acres. One-hundred-twenty acres of that was on the far side of the river, where it seems like most of the logging is going to happen," said Evans.
Evans said that instead of announcing the timber sale to the public, the US Forest Service did a backroom sale with a local logging company.
"They said, 'We're going to give you this timber for practically nothing. Almost 1,000 tons of timber they're giving away for $230," Evans said.
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News 13 reached out to US Forest Service for comment on the lawsuit, and a USDA Forest Service spokesperson responded, in part, "Per longstanding agency policy, we're unable to comment on the merits of any lawsuit filed in response to our efforts to keep the communities we serve safe by removing excess wildfire fuel left in the wake of Hurricane Helene."
However, Evans claims that the US Forest Service hasn't agreed to limit its logging to trees that were downed during the storm.
"The Forest Service has refused at every stage to commit to limiting logging to the blowdown. We said, 'If you will make this commitment, we won't have to go to court,' and they said, 'We won't make that commitment,'" said Evans.
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