County appeals in Plum Creek case Frustrated that the federal government appears to be withholding documents, Missoula County officials on Wednesday filed a formal appeal, requesting information related to an ongoing forest road controversy. “It looks to me as though they've withheld pretty much as many documents as they've provided,” said James McCubbin, deputy county attorney. “It's very clear that they haven't provided us with what we asked for.” What Missoula County asked for, in an earlier Freedom of Information Act request, were documents leading up to a road easement deal struck between the U.S. Forest Service and Plum Creek Timber Co.
For decades, the agency and the company have shared access easements on forest roads, allowing them to cross each other's lands for timber hauling. But in recent years, as real estate sales have become increasingly important to Plum Creek's profit margin, the company has argued the road agreements allow all sorts of access, including residential driveways....