For Immediate Release
October 8, 2004

Contact Information
Preliminary Injunction 12/14/04

Laramie, WY - Biodiversity Conservation Alliance today asked a federal judge to issue an injunction to protect wildlife and the public interest against the Cement timber sale, a massive industrial logging and road building project slated for the Black Hills National Forest.

Authorized earlier this year, the Cement timber sale will affect 17,000 acres of public forest lands in northeastern Wyoming. The project calls for cutting 10,300,000 board feet of trees, an exceptionally large amount of logging. 80 miles of roads are proposed for building and rebuilding.

The project threatens an area noted for its diverse wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, biological richness, and proximity to the Sand Creek Roadless Area, the largest and one of the last remaining unprotected wilderness landscapes in the Black Hills. The project area also supports old growth forest that is vital for imperiled wildlife like the northern goshawk, a declining forest raptor. According to the Forest Service, rare and imperiled species of wildlife that need old growth forest will be harmed.

Last August, Biodiversity Conservation Alliance filed suit against the Cement timber sale in federal court because of two illegalities. First, before authorizing the logging, the Forest Service failed to gather required wildlife inventories for rare and imperiled species. The failure to adequately assess population status casts doubt over the Forest Services findings that logging and road building would not jeopardize these species.

Second, the Forest Service prepared an inadequate environmental analysis for the logging and road building. By law, the Forest Service must rigorously analyze the impacts of its actions to the environment and is required to consider a range of alternative courses of action that would better protect the environment.

Despite the lawsuit, the Forest Service has moved forward with plans to cut trees and build roads, despite admitted harm to wildlife and wildlife habitat.

"Not only has the Forest Service ignored environmental safeguards, but its now moving forward with irreversibly degrading our public lands," said Jeremy Nichols with Biodiversity Conservation Alliance. "If ever there was a need for an injunction to uphold the law, protect the public interest, and prevent irreparable harm, this is it."

The Black Hills is one of the most heavily logged National Forests in the country, unlike the vast majority of National Forests. Virtually the entire Black Hills National Forest has been cut over at least once, with most of the forest cut three to four times in the past century, leaving little old growth forest and wilderness. The Forest Service estimates that less than 2% of the entire forest is old growth. Scientists have found much of the Black Hills supported more abundant old growth, as evidenced by historical records and wildlife that depend on this habitat.

"The Cement timber sale is the epitome of irresponsible public lands management," said attorney Brad Bartlett, who is representing Biodiversity Conservation Alliance. "And we're sure the judge will agree."

Visit our web site for more information on the Black Hills and the Cement timber sale.