You bet there is....PROFITS.

Why in the world would the big guns like Weherhaeuser and GP want to lobby to re-eopen public land to logging in the northwest when they are the two largest land owners there is.

When you can close mills, export the logs at higher prices, put the small guys out of business, and dictate the price for lumber.....which has gone through the proverbial "ROOF"!

The spotted OWL controversy was a blessing to Weyerhaeuser and GP. Even though in the years since the woods have been closed and the spotted owl population continues to decline not due to logging but due to an aggressive more dominant species (the Barred Owl) encroaching into it's territory and eliminateing the spotted owl by attrition. The Barred owl is a more hardy bird which is not particular to where it nests and requires far less habitat per owl than the spotted owl does. By all means do what is prudent to preserve them but if this is natural selection at work then why not open the woods back up.

Why....bacause the big two quietly own politicians and are keeping them closed. I am Amazed that those with tons of money still must have more and will screw the little guy to get it.

That would take a huge dent out of the Northwest's unenployment rates and bring new industry back into the regions depressed due to mill closures.

vent...vent...vent