Last month ForestWatch filed an appeal of the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to deny our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for data related to the proposed and highly controversial Pine Mountain Project.
Shortly after the project was proposed by the agency earlier this summer, we submitted a FOIA request for tree stand data being used by the agency to establish logging targets for the 755-acre project on Pine Mountain Ridge in Ventura County. The tree stand data include key metrics such as trees per acre, which are vital to understanding exactly what the agency is proposing.
Despite numerous follow-up requests over the summer and into the fall, the agency ultimately denied our request in late October, claiming an exemption from FOIA because the tree stand analysis had not yet been completed. Our appeal details several reasons why the agency unlawfully withheld this important information.
For the two previous logging projects proposed near Mt. Pinos in 2018 (which are currently under litigation), the agency provided tree stand data when requested. Our analysis of those data revealed that the agency was grossly misleading the public about forest density in the project areas—a fact that was not disputed in court.
The appeal will now be considered by the office of the Chief of the Forest Service. ForestWatch is working with our legal team to prepare court filings if officials deny our appeal. We will provide an update when a determination is made.
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