Headwaters Salvage Logging to Begin

[Ned Daly <ndaly@tap.org>]

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  TAXPAYER ASSETS PROJECT - NATURAL RESOURCES POLICY ADVISORY
  (please distribute freely)
  
  TAP-RESOURCES
  October 9, 1996
  
  
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  October 8, 1996		MEDIA RELEASE
  Contacts:  Cecelia Lanman, Dana Stolzman, EPIC		707-923-2931
  	      Kathy Bailey, Sierra Club			707-895-3716
  
  TODAY PACIFIC LUMBER WILL BEGIN SALVAGE OPERATIONS IN THE ANCIENT GROVES !
  
  Governor Wilson Urged to Take Action on Headwaters Forest
  Senator Boxer, National Marine Fisheries Service Demand Salmon Protection
  
  October 8- 9 Board of Forestry Hearing to discuss Emergency Rules Petition
  in Mount Shasta, California- Mount Shasta Resort 10/8 Discussion 2:30 PM
  
  California Senator Barbara Boxer, Hilda Diaz-Soltero of the National Marine
  Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), EPIC
  and the Sierra Club are all urging Governor Wilson to take immediate action
  to stop salvage logging exemptions in coastal forest ecosystems including
  the Headwaters Forest.  EPIC and Sierra Club have demanded that the
  California Board of Forestry (BOF) require environmental review of salvage
  logging, which is destroying the habitat of endangered species in
  old-growth forests.  Legislators, federal agencies and environmental groups
  asked Governor Wilson to immediately reconvene the Board of Forestry to
  reconsider EPIC's and Sierra Club's emergency rule petition to prohibit
  salvage exemptions to the California Forest Practices Act in coastal
  old-growth forests and watercourse zones.
  
  Governor Wilson's office recently issued a statement recognizing that "the
  permanent protection of the Headwaters Forest is a high priority for the
  people of California."  Cecelia Lanman of EPIC stated, "Today Pacific
  Lumber will start desecrating the ancient groves of Headwaters Forest. It's
  vital that the Governor and the California Board of Forestry address how
  salvage logging exemptions affect wildlife and public trust values.  The
  "deal" announced by Clinton and Senator Feinstein does not protect four of
  the six ancient groves and residual old-growth forests.  If they want a
  peaceful resolution to this crisis they need to call an immediate
  cease-fire."
  
  The BOF re-hearing is scheduled for October 8- 9 in Mount Shasta, when PL
  is poised to begin salvage operations in the ancient groves.  Senator Boxer
  urged Wilson to support this amended petition based on new environmental
  concerns raised by NMFS.
  
  On October 25, the coho salmon is due to be listed as a threatened species
  under the federal Endangered Species Act.  NMFS has recognized that salvage
  logging in Headwaters Forest could adversely affect coho salmon habitat.
  NMFS wrote the BOF that the Board's September 9 denial of the proposed
  emergency rules, "points out a weakness in the California Forest Practice
  Rules and their ability to provide for conservation of important salmon
  habitat."  NMFS wrote to Boxer that "If salvage operations remove large
  trees from the riparian zone, this could compromise the functional
  integrity of streamside and instream coho habitat."
  
  Wilson could have secured temporary protection for Headwaters on September
  9 when Headwaters advocates asked the state Board of Forestry for emergency
  rules to bar salvage logging in ancient forests and watercourse zones.
  Though the Board and the California Department of Forestry admitted that
  there were environmental problems with salvage
  operations, the Board denied the petition on a 6-0 vote, amid rumors that a
  Headwaters deal was in the works.
  
  --  end  --
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