Tagged: Logging

The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear an appeal to the so-called Roadless Rule. The law bans development on nearly 60 million acres of national forest land.

This is Front Page, our new segment featuring conversations with journalists taking a closer look at the people, issues and events shaping lives across the Pacific Northwest. Today we’re way out west, western Washington that is, where the twilight is unusual. The town of Forks. Here’s our news director John Paxson.

Logging roads crisscross thousands of streams in Northwest forests. At each crossing, runoff can spill into the water. A little mud doesn’t hurt. But a lot can choke fish and smother their eggs.

The Pacific Northwest’s inland forests have dramatically changed over the past 100 years. That’s according to a new study by a conservation group. These changes can lead to larger fires and insect outbreaks.

Congressman Greg Walden says a one-year extension of federal payments for timber-dependent counties is included in the Transportation bill. Walden predicts the bill could come to a floor vote by Friday.

The proposal would secure $100 million dollars for places like Josephine, Curry, and Lane Counties. All three counties have struggled to raise revenue as timber harvests have dwindled. Walden acknowledged the revenue problems in timber country have dragged out over the years with extension after extension.  But he sees the issue coming to a head with this last payment.