The U.S. Forest Service is once again moving forward with a large old-growth logging project on Prince of Wales Island. The agency released its draft decision and final environmental impact statement for the Twin Mountain II timber sale last week, kicking off a 45-day objection filing period. 

Environmental groups and tribal leaders have pushed back on the project since it was introduced in 2019, citing concerns about the impacts road construction and logging will have on the Tongass National Forest. Lawsuits stalled the project shortly after it was introduced, but it was revived under the Trump administration in 2020. The draft environmental impact statement for the Twin Mountain II project found that the project is likely to severely impact subsistence use of deer in the area. 

The 15-year project is expected to produce 26.4 million board feet of timber from over 1,700 acres of old growth in the Tongass, both north and west of Thorne Bay. The Forest Service estimates it will provide over 100 jobs and generate up to $6.54 million in income for the timber industry. Prince of Wales is home to one of the last remaining mid-sized sawmills in the state, and it’s one of the biggest employers on the island. 

The record of decision cites President Trump’s executive order calling for the expansion of timber production, saying the project will provide up to three years of timber supply to local mills. 

Public comment will be accepted until the Nov. 30 and will be incorporated into the record before a final decision is made.