9th Circuit clears way for Montana logging project

The Ninth Circuit Court reversed portions of a lower court's decision regarding the controversial Black Ram logging project in Montana’s Kootenai National Forest. While it upheld the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s grizzly bear analysis, the court found that the U.S. Forest Service failed to meet motorized vehicle access standards and improperly assessed unauthorized road use, violating the National Environmental Policy Act. The project, which includes commercial timber harvesting, is paused pending further review.