SUMMIT COUNTY — The U.S. Forest Service must redo environmental studies for logging on about 800 acres in the “red zone” around Wildernest because of legal wranglings over the disputed roadless rule

The projects were approved under a streamlined approval process that was subsequently voided by a federal judge in California after a lawsuit by environmental groups.

“We still have a number of tools available under which we may accomplish the work, but it’s going to take a little longer,” said Jan Cutts, Dillon District Ranger.

The agency will be conducting an environmental assessment under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act authority and plans to have a decision before summer, Cutts said.

A third of the fuel-reduction projects on the 800 acres already are under contract with private companies.

“We are making every effort to take the extra steps necessary as quickly as possible to minimize disruption of important defensible-space work under way on the ground,” Cutts said. “This work is important to community protection and has tremendous public support.”

For more information, contact Peech Keller at the Forest Service at (970) 262-3495.