The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana approved the Forest Service’s Gold Butterfly Project on the Bitterroot National Forest, allowing nearly 5,300 acres of commercial harvest and 2,100 acres of non-commercial treatments. The project includes prescribed burning, replanting, and efforts to reduce wildfire risks near communities. The court confirmed compliance with NEPA, NFMA, and the Healthy Forest Restoration Act, though it requested additional clarification on grizzly bear impact analysis. The Forest Service provided revised explanations in April, leading to the court’s final approval. The decision remains subject to Ninth Circuit appeal. The project aims to improve water quality, create jobs, and restore habitats. Legal representatives emphasized the court’s deference to the Forest Service’s environmental analysis.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Materials reproduced from https://www.justice.gov/.
No endorsement by the DOJ is implied.
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