Judge Vacates Project Approval for Hoosier National Forest Management

Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued an order vacating the approval of the Houston South Vegetation Management and Restoration Project in the Hoosier National Forest on September 8, 2026. The project's approval, along with its Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment, was largely struck down due to concerns over its impact on Lake Monroe, the drinking water source for Southern Indiana. The judge allowed a narrow exception for modest activities, including expanding road culverts and repairing select roads, to improve local water quality.

The project, which was initially proposed to improve forest health and oak-hickory ecosystems, involved extensive activities such as commercial logging, clearcutting, and controlled burns. Plaintiffs argued that the Forest Service had failed to adequately evaluate the potential impacts of these activities on Lake Monroe.