I am writing to comment on the letter from Kootenai Forest Stakeholders Coalition regarding the proposed East Reservoir logging project. Approved last month, the Forest Service plan calls for the logging of 8,800 acres on the east side of Lake Koocanusa. The Stakeholders are unhappy with Alliance for the Wild Rockies, which is suing the Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife for failing to adequately address the protection of bull trout, white sturgeon, Canada lynx and grizzly bear species native to the impacted area.
The Stakeholders contend that the plan enjoys widespread support, including “a slate of regional and statewide conservation groups.” What their letter doesn’t address is the substance of AWR’s lawsuit. I’m guessing that absent from this “slate” are groups concerned about protection of threatened and endangered species.
The self-serving letter chastises AWR for failing to play ball with the representatives from industry, government, and “conservation” organizations who support the plan, and for choosing the courts as a forum for challenging it.
At best it’s clear that the Stakeholders do not adequately represent the interests of many conservation and environmental organizations. What’s more likely is that they are a bit too eager to push logging projects to be a truly balanced and broad based coalition.
This organization may claim to speak for all forest stakeholders, but skepticism is clearly in order here. After all, the “group” that supports the Montanore Mine was formed and is run by company employees and consultants. Fortunately they were publicly shamed years ago and have zero credibility.
As for the courts, sometimes they are the only option for holding government officials accountable. AWR is fond of saying that if the agencies want to stop being sued, they should quit breaking the law. It’s hard to find fault with this argument.
Joel Frank
Bigfork