Opinion ID: 3159814
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Recovery Project

Text: The Douglas Complex Fire burned approximately 48,000 acres of federal and non-federal land in Oregon’s Klamath Mountains. In response, the Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management (Bureau) initiated the Recovery Project aimed at salvaging burned acreage. The Bureau completed a Douglas Complex Fire Recovery Project Environmental Assessment, and solicited public comment, which Cascadia timely provided. Subsequently, the Bureau issued a Record of Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact approving the Douglas Complex Fire Recovery Project. This finding authorized the salvage logging of approximately 1,600 acres of fire-killed or injured trees, including hazard tree removal (to which Cascadia does not object), and logging of interior forests for economic benefit. The Bureau also consulted with the Service, after conducting a biological assessment and determining that the Recovery Project “may affect and is likely to adversely affect” the Northern Spotted Owl and its critical habitat. The Service in turn issued a biological opinion, which concluded in part: [T]he proposed Project is likely to incidentally take 14 adult and up to 10 young spotted owls at seven sites. The take is in the form of harm caused by habitat destruction or degradation via timber harvest1 of up to 33 acres of [nesting, roosting, and foraging] habitat and 1,049 acres of [post-fire foraging] 1 The referenced timber sales include Rogue Cow, Burnt Rattler, and Rock Star. CASCADIA WILDLANDS V. THRAILKILL 5 habitat that is likely to significantly disrupt the breeding, feeding, and sheltering behavior of these spotted owls to an extent that causes injury or death. Nevertheless, the biological opinion concluded that the Recovery Project was “not likely to result in jeopardy to the species or destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat.”2