BROWNSTOWN, Ind. (WISH) — A controversial forest restoration project called Houston South at the federal Hoosier National Forest in northwestern Jackson County is moving forward.

The U.S. Forest Service issued a final environmental assessment saying its systems, which include logging and burning parts of the forest to regenerate oak trees, won’t cause “significant impact” and harm to “water quality, wildlife and other resources.”

Mike Chaveas, U.S. Forest Service supervisor for Hoosier National Forest, told News 8, “I realize changes that some proposed in this project can be difficult to see but with passage of time the treatment areas will transition to a healthy resilient forest for the public to enjoy into the future.”

Environmentalist Jeff Stant, executive director of Indiana Forest Alliance, disagrees with project. He says the idea of burning the forest to preserve it or logging the forest creates more environmental harm. He would prefer the forest be left untouched.

“They’ve got the bully pulpit. They are the U.S. Forest Service. “They can say all these grand things about the project, but it ain’t so,” Slant said.

A judge ordered the project to stop in 2023 because the U.S. Forest Service did not have enough evidence to prove the project would not pollute Lake Monroe, a source of drinking water.

The U.S. Forest Service says the new assessment will not cause harm to wildlife or water resources, and seeding, water bars and enhanced stream crossing will help with erosion control.

The forest supervisor said, “Projects that stood any actual risk of pollution or degrading anyone’s water supply would never be proposed by our staff.”

Both the U.S. Forest Service and Indiana Forest Alliance want to preserve the forest, they just disagree on the methods. The alliance’s Stant said, “There is no other area in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois like it. It’s a large block, and it’s all public land, and it ought to be preserved for public purposes.” 

The U.S. Forest Service says the project will not begin just yet; they are waiting for additional feedback. The project could begin in as much as three months.