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http://www.omniture.com --> Email Story to a Friend June 22, 2006 Salvage sale block denied By paul fattig Mail Tribune A U.S. magistrate judge in Medford has denied a temporary restraining order request by environmental groups to block logging of a controversial roadless-area timber salvage sale in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. But in rejecting the request to halt the Mike's Gulch sale by the Eugene-based Cascadia Wildlands Project, the Siskiyou Regional Education Project in Grants Pass and other groups, Magistrate Judge Owen M. Panner told the U.S. Forest Service to delay awarding the sale until the end of day on Monday. Panner indicated the delay would allow the plaintiffs to appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. In his ruling, Panner concluded the plaintiffs were unlikely to win their lawsuit based on the argument that the agency should reconsider salvaging the fire-killed timber on the basis of new scientific information about forest regeneration and increased fire danger caused by salvage logging. Panner said the agency was reasonable in rejecting the material, that its primary purpose for the logging was generating jobs and the area to be logged was very small, according to The Associated Press. Located in the South Kalmiopsis Roadless Area in the Illinois Valley Ranger District, the 9.36-million-board-foot sale on 261 acres was purchased in a June 9 auction by the Silver Creek Timber Co. in Merlin. The area, part of which was burned by the nearly half-million-acre 2002 Biscuit fire, is in the largest roadless area outside an established wilderness on the West Coast. Forest officials could not be reached for comment late Wednesday afternoon, but agency lawyers had argued during the hearing phase that no new significant information had surfaced since the decision was made to salvage the timber. But the plaintiffs' attorney had countered that new studies demonstrated the area was recovering naturally and that salvage logging would harm the young trees growing there. The plaintiffs most likely will appeal, said Josh Laughlin, Cascadia director. "We believe the court of law will ultimately rule in our favor to protect this treasured roadless area," he said late Wednesday. "There is ample and prolific natural regeneration occurring in the landscape. The agency has failed to seriously look at that in its rush to sell it off to the highest bidder." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] . Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations --> online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Entertainment Guide --> Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Casino Reviews