Posted on 01/28/2007 1:26:37 PM PST by calcowgirl
Fate of a 200,000-acre swath owned by Pacific Lumber is in doubt
SACRAMENTO — The Schwarzenegger administration on Friday sided firmly with environmentalists in a potential legal battle with Pacific Lumber Company over a huge swath of ancient redwoods in Humboldt County that could be jeopardized by the company's financial troubles.
The fate of a 200,000-acre swath of redwoods owned by Pacific Lumber was thrown into doubt last week when the company filed for bankruptcy in Texas. In 1999, the state and federal governments spent $480 million combined to buy 7,400 acres of the company's redwoods, now part of Headwaters Forest Reserve, and establish a "habitat conservation" plan to protect endangered species on 200,000 acres of the company's land.
Environmentalists and Democrats worry that the company will try to escape from that 50-year deal during bankruptcy proceedings — a maneuver that would boost the timber company's value. On Friday, the Schwarzenegger administration weighed in, declaring that the state will use every possible means to protect the redwoods.
The governor's stance ensures that Pacific Lumber will face a tough legal battle if it tries to extricate itself from the redwoods agreement.
"We intend to be dogged and unyielding in our efforts to protect California's interests and hold (Pacific Lumber) to all of its obligations," Mike Chrisman, secretary of the state Resources Agency, wrote in a letter to the Democratic leader of the state Senate, Don Perata of Oakland.
Pacific Lumber spokeswoman Andrea Arnot said the company to date has not asked the bankruptcy court for any changes to the Headwaters agreement, which she called the "most stringent environmental standards" ever placed on timber harvesting.
When asked whether the company might seek such alterations to the deal at some point during bankruptcy proceedings, Arnot said, "You're asking me to speculate how a legal proceeding will go. I can't speculate."
Environmentalists appreciated Schwarzenegger's help in what could be a protracted legal battle. "Taxpayers made a significant investment in these environmental protections," the Sierra Club's Paul Mason said, "so it's very welcome to see the state will be taking all possible steps to ensure those commitments are honored."
Schwarzenegger's opposition isn't the only obstacle the logging company would face if it tries to nullify the redwoods agreement. The deal's requirements were attached to the deeds of Pacific Lumber's land to ensure that new owners would be bound to the same rules if Pacific Lumber ceased to exist, said former state Senator Byron Sher, D-Palo Alto.
In filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Pacific Lumber blamed what it called overly strict state water regulations — rules separate from those contained in the redwoods agreement — for unfairly squeezing logging profits. That led some observers to wonder whether the company will try to get out of the deal it had signed.
The 200,000 acres of Humboldt County forests at issue is roughly seven times the size of San Francisco.
While that may be true it is not the case here. Pacific agreed to a Standard Yield Plan on the 200,000 acres. In turn, they were able to sell the Headlands for $480m. Since when do conservatives advocate breach of contract.
Did you even read the article? Check my post #3. I even highlighted the relevant part for you. PALCO is not proposing to undo the agreement--there gripe is with the regulations on the remaining land. The propagandists are throwing up their arms trying to make it sound like they are reneging on a deal. Do a google search of news since their BK filing. This isn't about backing out of a contract.
You are one scary dude.
lol
I hear ya, forester. It's right out of the Communist Manifesto.
“The establishment of an American Soviet government will involve the confiscation of large landed estates in town and country, and also, the whole body of forests, mineral deposits, lakes, rivers and so on.”
- William Z. Foster, National Chairman of the Communist Party,
restating point one of the Communist Manifesto in 1932,
“The abolition of private property.”
True. And the propogandists here are trying to make it sound like Pacific has been railroaded by government agencies into an existing plan. A plan Pacific willingly agreed to for substantial consideration..
Not only save them, but create a workforce of tree planters to that in 200-400 years there will be a new and vibrant forest.
One might ask that if one were in a rhetorical mood....
As a matter of fact (not that facts mean much to California Commies), until Pacific Lumber was bought by Boesky, the redwoods were gaining on Pacific Lumber. Only after Boesky had to double the annual cut to pay off the junk bonds he used in his hostile takeover, did Pacific Lumber NOT grow more redwood than it cut.
Thank a lawyer and an enviro-commie for the present debacle.
On second thought, may G*d rot the souls of enviro-whackos and most lawyers souls, too. Oopsie! My mistake - lawyers, it is claimed, have no souls to begin with.
You, and the others who want redwoods "saved" already have a perfect way to actualize your views - buy redwood land.
Until then, have you considered whether you have the right to bill those who don't support your "preservationist perspectives"?
Just wondering.
In answer to your most insightful question, "Anyone know the story?" I suggest Alston Chase's book titled In A Dark Wood. It is easy to read, and also has some 50 pages of footnotes.
How much truth can you stand?
he declared bankruptcy and ditched the taxpayers with a huge pension liability...and even though its still a pension paid for by taxpayers, its a pittance what was owed them...
I happen to know that after Hurowitz dumped one particular plant, that plant gave up minimumly $30,000,000 dollars in scrap metal ALONE to the new owners...........
just because someone throws around the "regulations" mantra, it does not mean that THAT is the real reason the said company is going bankrupt.....Hurowitz has bankrupt companies before blaming everything and everyone from "regulations" to "unions" to energy costs to which way the wind blows....
but in reality, he robs companies by putting them in debt then escapes with his millions......
Any chance this is in the library? I'll look for it.
I agree with you completely.To cede the environmental protection issue to the liberals is the maddest of follies.
Another consequence of the rise to power of GreenNazi-ism is that the Russian are logging the Taiga. Given the exceeding short growing season in that very cold forest, the rainforest cuts seem very short term in comparison.
I just answered my own question. I just looked it up in the LA Public Library and ordered it.
Thanks!
I think you're in L.A., right? According to the catalog, there are 4 copies (all downtown at the Central Library). You can probably do an inter-library loan to get it locally.
Yup, I just reserved one.
Thanks for the heads up!
I just happened to have the browser open to LAPL, lol.
I usually just read news from the LAPL website. That way I don't have to put up with all the ads and jazz. :-)
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