Environmental group sues US Forest Service over planned logging project in Kentucky

KENTUCKY (WKYT) - An environmental group is suing the U.S. Forest Service over a planned logging project in Kentucky.

Kentucky Heartwood filed the lawsuit in federal court. The group says leaders failed to legally approve a logging project in the Daniel Boone National Forest in the eastern part of the state.

The lawsuit stems from the South Red Bird Wildlife Enhancement Project in Leslie, Clay and Bell counties.

In the lawsuit, Kentucky Heartwood makes several claims against the U.S. Forestry Service, including alleging the agency did not use the best data in assessing the ecological impact of the project and that it downplayed the risk of landslides.

The suit also said wildlife like bats, fish and certain mussel species would be harmed.

In project documents, the forest service says it carefully considered the potential impacts and that there would be no significant negative effects on wildlife. In fact, the agency went as far as to say the project would improve the habitat and bring economic benefits to the area.

Kentucky Heartwood is requesting that the agency do a greater analysis of the potential impact of logging in the Daniel Boone National Forest and pay attorney costs that stem from the lawsuit.

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