Judge axes new U.S. forestry rules

[nam78_two]

(n2doc posted this over in E&E but I thought a GD thread on it wouldn't hurt.)

Yay for "activist judges" :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/30/forest.rules.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
snip

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- A federal judge on Friday tossed out new Bush administration rules that gave national forest managers more discretion to approve logging and other commercial projects without lengthy environmental reviews. U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled that the government failed to adequately consider the effects the rules would have on the environment and neglected to properly gather public comment on the issue.

Hamilton said in her written decision that the government couldn't institute the new rules until proper environmental reviews were conducted, but she declined to specify how the nation's 155 national forests should be managed until then. The ruling overturns a key administration environmental rule that governs all 192 million acres of national forests and stops plans such as logging and mining in the parks.

"I think people who love wildlife and care for our public forests should be elated by this decision," said Peter Frost, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center, one of 15 environmental groups that brought a pair of lawsuits challenging the new rules. Hamilton issued a single ruling for both cases. Frost said that if Hamilton had upheld the new rules, "it would have likely meant the loss of species." Frost said the new rules could have made it much easier for new projects such as logging, mining, livestock grazing and road building.

end snip

[IChing]

1. Good news at least

for now. Thank you activist judge!!

[nam78_two]

2. This isn't the first time either

I have posted about this at least twice before. "Activist" judge :yourock:!

[Erika]

4. We've had enough of the neocon Bushies wanting

to clear cut our forests. Enough is enough.

Why do W and the neocons hate our forests and wildlife?

[nam78_two]

5. They just believe in "sensible environmentalism"

unlike all those Godless tree-worshippin' communist libruls :sarcasm:

[burrowowl]

3. WOW!

A real law-observing JUDGE!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Deja Q]

6. Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy the trees grown in foreign lands and fly the wood here?

:shrug:

If money is all people care about, and given the other "Every other country is cheaper except the United States" talk, why cut down everything here?

[IChing]

8. A large percentage of that lumber from the west goes to the Pacific rim

The consumption of the forests is an export item. We have plenty for our own needs.

[Reterr]

7. k&r/eom

[Vidar]

9. Thanks for the good news.