Logging As Fireproofing

Forest Service Sued Over Sierra Logging Plan Environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday, claiming a 6-year-old federal law aimed at preventing wildfires has degenerated into a backdoor effort to eventually increase logging across 340,000 acres of national forests in the Sierra Nevada. ... The environmental groups say the plan allows the cutting of bigger, more fire-resistant trees in an area already cleared of smaller, more flammable material. They say it also would destroy 4,280 acres of old trees around 16 California spotted owl nesting sites. Forest Service spokesman Matt Mathes said the 6,400 acres are unique, because the agreement “specifically requires us to promote the economic health of that area, and part of that is helping the local timber industry.”

It would be nice if they told us the name of the law, since it looks like it has the potential to be used in the same way as Healthy Forests.