A US federal judge has blocked 144 timber sales in three states, which will cost the government US$2.7m in lost revenue.
The sales in Washington, Oregon and California, stopped by Judge Marsha Pechman’s injunction, had earlier been approved due to the government’s recent decision to ease logging restrictions.
But Judge Pechman reinstated the requirement for the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to protect rare plants and animals before harvesting on 5.5 million acres covered by the Northwest Forest Plan. She said sales would not take place unless the conditions were met.
