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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2002

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the federal government to halt all timber sales in parts of the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

The ruling applies to nearly 10 million acres of roadless areas. Environmentalists sued to block logging because the U.S. Forest Service didn't consider adding wilderness protections to the area.

The Forest Service has to finish an environmental impact study before authorizing future sales. Current sales are not affected.

Native corporations in southeast Alaska were opposing the environmentalists. They have financial interests in the forest and depend on the timber economy for jobs.

Get the Story:
Judge halts new timber sales (The Anchorage Daily News 6/12)
Judge halts some Tongass timber sales (AP 6/12)

Relevant Links:
Roadless Forest Plan - http://roadless.fs.fed.us
The US Forest Service - http://www.fs.fed.us

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Tsimshian Tribe opposes timber sale (8/15)
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Decision on forest rules is big news (5/7)
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