Appeals court nixes $1.1 billion timber award against Oregon

By GILLIAN FLACCUS
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Court of Appeals has overturned a $1.1 billion verdict against the state over its forest management practices. A Linn County jury found in 2019 that Oregon breached its contract with 13 rural counties and 151 local taxing districts by failing to maximize timber harvests on state forests over the last two decades. At issue in the long-simmering dispute is whether Oregon must manage more than 700,000 acres of state forestland for maximum timber revenue or if it has the discretion to manage them for wildlife and recreation. The plaintiffs can appeal to the Oregon Supreme Court.