Environmental groups are suing over the first logging plan under a 6-year-old federal law fostered by an unusual local coalition of loggers and local conservationists.
The opponents say what started as a fire prevention effort has devolved into an excuse to eventually increase logging across 340,000 acres of Sierra Nevada national forests.
The suit in Sacramento federal court challenges the U.S. Forest Service´s effort to log 64,000 acres over five years in the Plumas National Forest west of Quincy.
The Forest Service says the clearing project will reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire near Meadow Valley.
The environmental groups say the plan allows the cutting of big fire-resistant trees.
This post was last modified on 01/31/2009 4:42 pm