By Associated Press - Wednesday, January 25, 2017

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Benton County will remain in a controversial lawsuit over the management of some state timberlands.

The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports (https://is.gd/Ae1rUA ) that the Benton County Board of Commissioners voted on Tuesday to remain a party in the lawsuit seeking $1.4 billion from the state for failing to maximize logging revenues on forest trust lands.

The lawsuit claims state land managers failed in their duty to generate as much revenue as possible from the forest land trusts.



The state is supposed to manage the land for “the greatest permanent value,” according to a 1939 law.

If the lawsuit is successful, Benton County could receive as much as $30 million in damages, which is would share with seven taxing districts.

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Information from: Gazette-Times, https://www.gtconnect.com

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