Fire isn't the only threat to the forest this season the mountain pine beetle presents an ever-growing battle.  But this battle is quickly overflowing into the courtroom.  South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says over the past months, several environmental groups have filed lawsuits against the Forest Service, over their forest plans in regards to the beetle epidemic.  Jackley says in the past few days, another lawsuit has surfaced in the Cowboy State.

Jackley says, "Most recently the environmentalists have also sued in the Wyoming Federal courts, to try and again stop a responsible forestry plan to really address the pine beetle problem. So the Attorney Generals office, we are once again intervening because we feel this is extremely important that South Dakota and the Black Hills have a responsible forestry plan that addresses this epidemic of the pine beetle."

Both the Forest Service and environmental groups agree the pine beetle is a problem however the sides tend to disagree on how to address the problem.

Zach Nugent