Posted on 10/25/2005 9:45:58 PM PDT by SmithL
Grants Pass, Ore. -- The U.S. Forest Service violated federal environmental laws when it used a toxic fire retardant that killed thousands of fish in streams, a judge ruled.
In a decision released Tuesday, District Judge Donald W. Molloy said the agency did not comply with the National Environmental Policy Act when it skipped an open public process to examine the fire retardant's effects on the environment.
Molloy also said the agency's actions appeared to be politically motivated, though he did not elaborate.
Environmentalists and Democrats have complained the Bush administration goals of repealing environmental laws affect Forest Service decisions.
The Forest Service had argued that the use of fire retardant was not a major federal action, but a series of smaller actions by fire commanders with no time to do a full environmental analysis.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I think the judge needs to have a forest fire threaten his house.
I think this judge's decision was politically motivated, and he spit in the face of the President and his own country.
I'm wondering if this fire-retardent was used to put out a forest fire? If so, who the #e!! cares about some fish that died?
Federal Judicial Service:
U. S. District Court, District of Montana
Nominated by William J. Clinton on December 21, 1995, to a seat vacated by Paul Gerhart Hatfield; Confirmed by the Senate on July 18, 1996, and received commission on August 1, 1996. Served as chief judge, 2001-present.
I guess since it is in Oregon we can't blame the pollution on illegals crossing the border when they discard their tons of garbage as they make a run for it.
Yep. It's Bush's fault again.
So in order to save the earth we have to burn it all down.
Wow was Smokey the Bear misled ......
I have to get my children out of CA, and back to NC... pronto.
I wonder how many of the 20,000 fish they actually performed a autopsy on to confirm that the fire retardant was the cause of death. The runoff after a forest fire is pretty toxic all by itself.
That may not be imminent enough; he sounds like a hard case.
It may take something with a bit more immediacy, like maybe involving a stake, pitchforks, torches, and firewood.
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