Chilean Court OKs Boise Cascade Plant

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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

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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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Title: Chilean Court OKs BOISE CASCADE Plant

Source: Environment News Service, http://www.ens.lycos.com/

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.

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