Ground Truth Blog
Utah Seeks Control of Federal Lands
In 2015, a Republican-led commission of Utah legislators voted to file a lawsuit challenging U.S. government control of federal lands in the state. Almost a decade later, Utah’s Republican governor and attorney general are following through by petitioning the U.S....
‘Wildfire Retardant is Laden With Toxic Metals’
The calendar reminds me that this is the time of year for nonprofits to ask their members for a year-end donation. Your contribution ensures we can continue protecting our national forests, defend whistleblowers, and promote a positive environmental ethic within our...
Record Retardant Drops From Medford Air Tanker Base
Planes launched from the Medford Air Tanker Base in Oregon have dropped 1.7 million gallons of fire retardant so far this year, breaking the airbase’s previous record set during the 2023 fire season. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest announced the new record on...
Gutting the Forest Service Workforce
Amazon announced last month that revenue forecasts require that it cut staffing at its fulfillment warehouses. “We’re forced to lay off all of our package handlers,” said Jeff Bezos. “They’re our cheapest labor and lowest in our corporate hierarchy so, obviously,...
Great Britain’s Sequoias Outnumber California’s 6-1
Sequoias are thriving in Great Britain, both giant sequoias (Sequoia giganteum) and coastal redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens). Scientists with the Royal Society report that some stands have matched the average growth rates of similar-aged sequoias in their natural...
Forest Service Releases Seasonal Employees
The U.S. Forest Service has suspended the hiring of all seasonal employees with the exception of firefighters for the 2025 fiscal year due to anticipated budget shortfalls. Letters sent to regional leadership teams were leaked via social media site Reddit, prompting...
Ottawa National Forest
The Ottawa National Forest encompasses 1 million acres on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, extending from the south shore of Lake Superior to the Wisconsin state line. The Forest is home to abundant wildlife, scenic views, rolling hills, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, and...
Forest Service Fails to Protect Fens
by Ann Vileisis The U.S. Forest Service recently denied a petition brought by 27 conservation groups from 14 states urging the agency to adopt a rule to better protect the special type of peat-forming wetlands known as fens. Nourished by the continual flow of...
Fire Retardant in Wine Country
The Point Fire burned 1,200 acres in Sonoma County in June. Lago di Merlo Vineyards lost a few vines to the fire, but it faces an uncertain future after an errant fire retardant drop painted a 20-acre swath of grapevines bright red. The Press Democrat reports that...
No Safe Harbor for Water Polluters
For the sailor, a “safe harbor” provides refuge from the storm. In the law, a “safe harbor” gives legal immunity from a broad prohibition to accommodate certain narrow, desirable conduct. For example, when a landowner voluntarily agrees to protect habitat for an...
Judge Halts Illegal Logging Project in Montana
Federal Judge Dana Christensen halted the Horsefly Vegetation Project in the Little Belt Mountains in Lewis and Clark National Forest. Judge Kathleen DeSoto had ruled that both the Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hadn’t properly considered a...
Analysis Recommends Limits on Old-Growth Logging
In the Forest Service old-growth analysis released in June, the Biden administration recommends restricting — but not eliminating — old-growth logging on our national forests. This draft environmental impact statement (EIS) proposes amending all national forest...