smclearcutIn their 2010 settlement with NWEA over Oregon logging practices on the coast, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) agreed to make an initial assessment of Oregon’s efforts to comply with the terms of the settlement. On December 21, 2012 the two federal agencies sent their written initial assessment to Oregon, finding that Oregon has made little progress towards demonstrating its ability to meet the settlement terms. The federal agencies urged Oregon to adopt forest practices to protect riparian areas, reduce sedimentation, increase wood in streams, and reduce stream temperatures. They also urged the adoption of a strategy to ensure that forest roads are properly sited, constructed, maintained, and closed to protect streams and protection of rivers and streams from landslides caused by logging.