Chilean Court OKs Boise Cascade Plant
10/10/99
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OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY
The horrendous Boise Cascade industrial forest project in the
temperate rainforests of Chile moved nearer to commencement, as the
Chilean Supreme Court has ruled on the matter. A significant portion
of the Earth's remaining temperate rainforests will be turned into
oriented strand board for our consumer convenience.
g.b.
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Chilean Court OKs BOISE CASCADE Plant
Source: Environment News Service, http://www.ens.lycos.com/
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: October 7, 1999
PUERTO MONTT, Chile, October 7, 1999 (ENS) - The Supreme Court of
Chile, in a 5-0 decision, ruled against environmentalists who
attempted to challenge Cascada Chile, the proposed Boise
Cascade oriented strand board plant in the south of Chile.
In a decision that simply stated "Affirmed," the Supreme Court
rejected the constitutional challenge filed by the environmental law
firm Fiscalia del Medio Ambiente (FIMA) and other environmental
attorneys.
The environmentalists' attorneys argued that the regional
government's decision to approve the Cascada Project was
unconstitutional. They alleged that Cascada Chile is an
unconstitutional risk to the environment, particularly to the native
forests. Chile is home to one-third of the Earth's remaining
temperate rainforest.
Miguel Fredes, one of the FIMA attorneys who argued the case before
the Appeals court, expressed his disappointment at the court's
decision, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's denial of
FIMA's motion to present oral argument in the case.
Boise Cascade has formed a joint venture with Chilean partner Maderas
Condor to produce oriented strand board from a Puerto Montt facility.
The wood resources will come primarily from private, nonindustrial
native wood lots that have been harvested for many years, Boise
Cascade says in a statement on its website.
"Harvest levels to support the Cascade Chile project can be sustained
indefinitely," the company says.
The OSB will be produced by an environmentally-friendly process and
will be used primarily in North American housing construction,
according to Boise Cascade.
The joint venture's Environmental Impact Statement was approved by
CONAMA, Chile's environmental protection agency in January.
The OSB plant will employ about 1,200 people during construction and
200 permanent employees once it is operating. It is an expansion of
Boise Cascade operations and will not replace any of its plants or
jobs in North America.
Cascada Chile is establishing a nursery for the propagation of native
Chilean trees which will be supplied to local landowners at cost. A
native species seed collection program is already underway.
In cooperation with Universidad de Austral, the joint venture will
conduct research that will be shared with local landowners.
Environmentalists in Chile and in the United States have challenged
the proposed OSB plant, saying it will destroy a significant portion
of Earth's last temperate rainforest. Lawyers involved in the case
against Cascada Chile say they will study other legal strategies to
challenge the forestry project.