Sides agree to mediation over salvage logging

MEDFORD, Ore. – Environmentalists, the timber industry and the U.S. Forest Service agreed Monday to try to work out an agreement on salvage logging on the 2002 Biscuit fire under the guidance of a federal judge.

Noting he had mediated a settlement in a contentious court battle over salvage logging after the 2000 fires in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan said he would consolidate three lawsuits by environmentalists and one by the timber industry over the Biscuit fire salvage and mediate settlement talks Aug. 5 and 6 in Medford.

“No one is going to be particularly happy in these cases,” Hogan said after hearing arguments on motions by environmental groups trying to halt logging in old growth forest reserves burned by the fire in the Siskiyou National Forest. “If we can come up with something, we will not spend all this time on litigation.”

Hogan said he hoped to have a ruling by Thursday on motions by environmental groups for a preliminary injunction to halt logging on two timber sales in old growth forest reserves while the challenges are resolved.

The Forest Service is expected to approve contracts with two timber companies that were the high bidders on the Berry and Fiddler sales within a matter of days. Once the contracts are approved, logging can begin, unless the judge stops it.

“There won’t be much time to cut many trees before you hear from me,” Hogan said.

Lawyers for the Forest Service and Siskiyou National Forest supervisor Scott Conroy declined comment on the decision.

Todd True, a lawyer representing the environmentalists, said they would be happy to try mediation.

Andy Stahl, director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, one of the plaintiffs, said the judge’s ruling on the preliminary injunction will say a lot about what type of settlement the mediation will produce.