Federal Judge Halts Southern Illinois Logging Project Over Endangered Species Act Violation
A federal judge has ordered a halt to a commercial logging project in southern Illinois' Shawnee National Forest, ruling that the U.S. Forest Service violated the Endangered Species Act by approving it without waiting for a final biological opinion that…
St. Louis, MO, September 2, 2026 — A federal judge has issued an order to stop a commercial logging project in the Shawnee National Forest, located in southern Illinois.
The halt was put in place after the court found that the U.S. Forest Service had violated the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The agency’s approval of the logging project was made prior to receiving a final biological opinion, a crucial document for assessing the impact on protected species.
According to the ruling, the U.S. Forest Service proceeded with the project’s approval without awaiting this final biological opinion. This opinion was later issued and identified the presence of endangered Indiana bats within the project’s designated area.
The Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies to consult with wildlife agencies to ensure that their actions do not jeopardize listed species or their habitats. The judge’s decision indicates that the Forest Service did not adhere to these requirements by approving the logging operation before the biological assessment was complete and its findings were incorporated.
As a direct consequence of the court’s order, the commercial logging activities in the specified section of the Shawnee National Forest have been halted. Further details regarding the specific logging project, the parties involved, or the timeline for any potential future proceedings were not immediately available.
Story summarized from the original created by Hannah Meisel on www.stlpr.org, see more information here.
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