Federal Court Rules on Challenge Against U.S. Government

On June 23, 2009, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Jones issued a ruling for the defense in a long-running challenge by the Washington Forest Law Center (WFLC) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) against the U.S. Government.  Judge Jones ruled that WFLC/FSC had no legal standing nor credible claims that they had suffered injury in the U.S. Trade Representative/Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA) decision to grant funds to the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, Inc. (Endowment) and American Forest Foundation for delivery of “meritorious initiatives” under the SLA.  The Court’s clear and unequivocal ruling appears to lay to rest this unfortunate diversion from the important work that the Endowment and its peer seek to advance.