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Category: Non-Local News Releases Non-Local News Releases
Published: 30 September 2019 30 September 2019

SANTA FE, NM—Twenty-one Republican state representatives signed a letter to the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asking the agencies to appeal a recent ruling issued by U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins. The ruling orders the U.S. Forest Service to cease timber management activities on all national forests in New Mexico as well as the Tonto National Forest in Arizona.

The Republican representatives wrote, “While common-sense measures to protect endangered species is an important goal, the sweeping broadness of the judge’s decision places unnecessary restrictions on activities that have a minimal to no impact on Mexican Spotted Owl habitat. The blanket nature of the order lacks proper perspective and punishes an important domestic industry. Put simply, this injunction could put hundreds of New Mexicans out of work and leave thousands without the fuel they need to heat their homes during the upcoming months.”

They added, “We are writing on behalf of the thousands of New Mexicans who will be negatively affected by Judge Collins’s impractical decision. We are requesting your agencies move to expeditiously appeal this district court decision. In addition, we ask that you explore all reasonable efforts to reach an agreement to lift this injunction as soon as possible.”

A copy of the letter is attached.

{pdf}mypdfs/LTR-to-USFS_USFW-(2019-09-30).pdf{/pdf}