EPIC Files Lawsuit to Stop Logging of Ancient Redwoods
12/19/97
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Headline: EPIC Files Lawsuit to Stop Logging of Ancient Redwoods
Source: EPIC * Environmental Protection Information Center, Inc.
POB 397, Garberville, CA 95542 * 707-923-2931 * FAX 707-923-4210
Date: 12/19/97
MEDIA RELEASE for immediate release
Contacts: Paul Mason, 707-923-2931
EPIC Files Lawsuit to Stop Logging of Ancient Redwoods
On Wednesday December 17, EPIC filed a complaint against Pacific Lumber
Company and the California Department of Forestry (CDF) challenging CDF's
approval of a 54 acre harvest plan which includes substantial amounts of
ancient redwoods. This plan is located adjacent to Owl Creek Grove in the
60,000 acre Headwaters Forest. A motion for a Temporary Restraining Order
was submitted on December 18 and is currently pending before the Humboldt
County Superior Court. EPIC hopes that this motion will be acted upon
today.
EPIC filed this suit because of numerous flagrant violations of the Forest
Practices Rules governing the approval of Timber Harvest Plans (THPs). THP
97-003 was submitted to CDF by Pacific Lumber Co. on January 3, 1997, and
the public comment period was closed in February. The information
contained in the THP when it was open for public comment was incomplete and
misleading in regards to wildlife and geology. The local CDF office in
Fortuna recommended denial of the THP on February 13 because it was "not in
conformance with the rules of the Board of Forestry".
After the close of public comment and the recommendation of denial, a large
amount of new information was added to the plan. It was disclosed that
there were major geological instabilities in the area proposed for logging,
including historical and active landslides capable of seriously impacting
salmon habitat. In September, the Department of Mines and Geology sent a
review to CDF commenting that the geological reports commissioned by PL
stating that there "would be no significant affect on the deep seated
landslides from the proposed clearcut harvesting [do] not appear to be
adequately documented." PL rejected the new mitigation measures proposed.
Public comment remained closed. It should be noted that this entire
geological review was spawned by concerns raised in the initial public
comment period.
Shutting the public out of the review of substantial information is a clear
violation of both the Forest Practice Rules and the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Additionally, CDF ignored CEQA in that
they didn't require PL to look at reasonable alternatives to the project.
Paul Mason, President of EPIC, commented that "Once again CDF has abused
their authority and bent over backward to allow the industry to destroy
ancient trees and wildlife habitat. Even though the local staff recognized
that this plan should be denied, politics has once again trampled biology.
Regional Director Tom Osipowich should be removed from his position for
allowing such egregious abuses of the review process."
This is EPIC's 35th lawsuit since 1983, including 15 logging lawsuits
against Maxxam.