The U.S. Forest Service wants to reserve timber harvests from three national forests in Montana for processing at local lumber mills. It’s relying on an 80-year-old law to do so.
That’s according to new reporting from Montana Free Press’ Amanda Eggert. The proposal is for a so-called “sustained yield.” The Forest Service would annually designate 35 million board feet of timber from the Helena-Lewis and Clark, Custer Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge national forests for the mills.
Eggert says the government has pitched the policy as a way to bolster the state’s wood products industry, which has suffered setbacks in recent years.
“So they’re pointing to things like the closure of the Pyramid Mountain mill in Seeley Lake and the closure of the Roseburg wood products facility in the Missoula area and saying that we really need to give those businesses more certainty and stability in their wood supply,” Eggert says.
Eggert reports some in the industry are grateful for the effort, but doubt it will make a significant impact. The Forest Service is reviewing public comments on the proposal and will make a decision in the coming months.
Full interview in the audio: Eggert has been following the plan for a “sustained yield” of timber from three national forests in Montana and joined MTPR’s Austin Amestoy with more.
