A Sacramento federal judge heard arguments Thursday and will rule later on The Bee's objections to sealing documents that allegedly contain evidence of misconduct and fraud on the part of U.S. Forest Service employees.
Timber giant Sierra Pacific Industries submitted the documents in partial support of its motion for summary judgment in the company's lawsuit contesting the government's refusal to let Forest Service employees testify in related state court litigation.
A bitter legal struggle between the United States and Sierra Pacific grew out of a mammoth wildfire in 2007 that devoured 65,000 acres in Plumas and Lassen counties.
Much of the damage was in two national forests, and the government sued Sierra Pacific, claiming the fire started when a bulldozer belonging to a contractor working for the company struck a rock.
Six additional suits seeking compensation for damages caused by the fire were filed in state court. Then, early last year, Sierra Pacific sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture when the agency barred the taking of testimony from Forest Service employees in the state court actions.
After Sierra Pacific asked for the sealing of summary judgment material in the latter suit, The Bee sought to intervene and filed an opposition brief.
U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller granted the intervention at oral argument Thursday, but said she will weigh the sealing issue and rule by written order.
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