PL Logging Crews Back in Woods in Violation of Court Stay

For immediate release:

September 3, 2002

Contact:
Karen Pickett, Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters 510-548-3113
Tree-sitter Remedy, North Coast Earth First! (707)845-3553
EPIC : 707-923-2931

Pacific Lumber Logging Crews Back in Woods in Violation of Court Stay

The roar of chain saws was back in the woods early Tuesday morning, as Pacific Lumber (PL) continued to ignore a court order halting logging on its 211,000-acre holdings. Activists were in the trees, on the ground in the forest, and headed for Pacific Lumber corporate offices to conduct a citizens' arrest after complaints got no response from the Calif. Dept. of Forestry and the Humboldt County Sheriffs Dept.

Late on Thursday August 29, Calif. Superior Court judge John Golden ordered a halt to all logging operations by PL after three years of delays by permitting agencies in a case brought by environmental groups challenging the PL Habitat Conservation Plan/Sustained Yield Plan (HCP/SYP). that waspart of the Headwaters deal in 1999. Because irreversible damage would be done to wildlife, the environment and public trust resources before themerits of the case could be heard, Judge Golden found that harm to the public was potentially at hand and ordered all parties to the legal proceedings to halt all activity carried out under several permits. Golden ruled "The stay is issued for the protection of the public interests."

Remedy, who sits high in a redwood tree in the Freshwater watershed south of Arcata, reported early this morning that the forests were full of activity, and the Humboldt county Sheriff's Dept. had not yet responded to reports of violation of the court order. She put in calls to CDF officials in Sacramento but could not get movement from them or the Sheriffs Dept. PL crews are also active in the Mattole, where protesters are in the forest ready to meet loggers. Mattole activists are headed for PL offices in Scotia this afternoon to effect a citizens arrest of Jared Carter, executive vice-president and legal counsel for PL after he told them on the phone he had no plans to comply with the court order.
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