Alaska logging proposal moves forward despite opposition

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A federal government proposal to open parts of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest for commercial logging has raised protests from conservationists and questions from the timber industry. CoastAlaska reported the South Revilla project near Ketchikan involves more than 7.8 square miles of old growth forest. The U.S. Forest Service says the project is expected to support about 300 regional jobs through timber sales over the next 15 years. The agency’s draft environmental review says the project could impact numerous animals in an area used by subsistence hunters. A timber industry group says the project may not be financially viable.