Judge Dismisses Lawsuit, Protects Tongass Rainforest

0:00What's up? I'm Cory with the story, and these are your headlines from Anchorage News today. A federal judge in Alaska dismissed a lawsuit pushing for more logging in Tungus National Forest, home to the world's largest intact temperate, rainforest. The decision keeps an Obama-era plan in place that limits heavy cuts, rejecting claims from logging firms and industry groups. The plaintiffs, including Viking Lumber and the Alaska Forest Association, sued the US Forest Service last year. They said a 1990 law demands enough timber sales to match market needs. Judge Sharon Gleason ruled that's a choice for the agency, not a strict rule. Logging advocates say the current setup has crushed their operations, even as a new plan brews. Environmental lawyers who backed the Forest Service call the winkey, noting it protects old growth stands without favoring new timber harvest. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is crafting a replacement plan that could ramp up logging soon. Besides agree the ruling holds weight until any switch happens, since the Forest Service

1:01hasn't fully met past targets. Plaintiffs now have 30 days to appeal the final judgment issued Friday. This keeps the debate alive over balancing timber jobs and forest preservation in Alaska. This episode is proudly sponsored by our partner. Some people meditate. I just lay down and press play. So L.I. solelypillow.com