INDIANA – A controversial and slow-moving forest management plan inside the Hoosier National Forest has been temporarily frozen by a federal court order, marking a significant victory for Indiana environmental groups concerned about the region’s drinking water supply. Judge Pratt found that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by failing to take a “hard look” at the project’s potential environmental impacts. Threat to Bloomington’s WaterThe Houston South Project is a large-scale plan that would have opened up approximately 13,500 acres of the Hoosier National Forest to prescribed burning, 4,000 acres to logging, and 400 acres to clearcutting. Opponents, including the Indiana Forest Alliance, Friends of Lake Monroe, the Hoosier Environmental Council, and the Monroe County Board of Commissioners, argued that cutting and burning on the steep slopes could lead to pollution runoff. “It’s a huge win for drinking water quality, which means it’s a win for residents… what do we do without our water supply?” said Monroe County Commissioner Julie Thomas.