Summary
U.S. officials shut down a logging project on 10,000 acres in Montana due to concerns about its impact on grizzly bears. The decision came after a court ruled that federal agencies violated laws protecting endangered species and their habitats. The agencies must now re-evaluate the project's environmental effects.
Key Facts
- A federal judge ordered the shutdown of a 10,000-acre logging project in Montana.
- The shutdown is due to the project's potential harm to grizzly bears and their habitat.
- The U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were sued in 2022 by the Center for Biological Diversity.
- The project is in the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly bear recovery zone, with only about 50 bears remaining.
- The project affects 5,070 acres of logging, burning on 4,757 acres, and road work totaling over 46 miles.
- Roads are a concern because they allow human access to bear areas, leading to risks like poaching.
- The judge ruled that agencies failed to meet legal obligations under laws like the Endangered Species Act.
