Posted 10/24/97

Support grows for full Headwaters protection

As pressure mounts to protect the largest parcel of ancient redwoods outside of parks, a flawed deal is moving through Congress.

The much-publicized $380-million "deal" that would protect less than 13 percent of the 60,000-acre Headwaters Forest has not yet received Congress' stamp of approval. Congress is expected to vote on a final "deal" bill soon after the Congressional recess ends on Oct. 21.

Under the "deal," the federal government would provide $250 million from the U.S. Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was established to provide monies to acquire environmentally sensitive lands. The State of California would be responsible for contributing the remaining $130 million-- $100 million of which could come from a bond measure to be placed before the state's voters in 1998.

The Senate's bill covering the "deal" also contains a "no more" provision, which would prohibit the government from later paying for additions to the 7500-acre protected area.

MAXXAM Corp., parent company of Pacific Lumber Co. (PL), on Sept. 15 filed a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to cover logging on its entire 207,000 acres of holdings. The plan would allow for harvesting nearly all the old-growth outside the 7500 acres set aside for the "deal." This would destroy threatened Coho salmon habitat and severely degrade fragile riparian ecosystems. The HCP also calls for expanded use of herbicides to inhibit hardwood growth when these denuded areas are re-planted.

Especially in light of the "no more" provision and the inadequate HCP submitted by PL, environmental groups including Forests Forever oppose the federal legislation in its current form.

Photo courtesy Djuna Ivereigh

"When is enough enough?" Brown asked the crowd. "The reality is, too much has already been cut."

Since January, 1996, PL has filed 17 Timber Harvest Plans (THPs), which include 2100 of the 60,000 acres in Headwaters. PL currently is logging ancient redwoods in the Bear Creek drainage adjacent to Humboldt Redwoods State Park, a few miles from Headwaters.

About 8000 persons attended the Rally and March to Save Headwaters Forest, held Sept. 14 in Stafford, Calif. The day featured music and speakers such as former California Gov. Jerry Brown, blues singer Bonnie Raitt, former Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart and actor Woody Harrelson.

After the rally, thousands of activists helped protect Stafford resident Michael O'Neal's home with sandbags in anticipation of winter-rain-induced mudslides. Last January seven Stafford homes were destroyed by mudslides caused in part by PL's logging on steep unstable terrain upslope.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) began hearings on Sept. 22 in Houston against MAXXAM and its CEO, Charles Hurwitz, for their role in the 1988 United Savings Association of Texas failure. The trial is scheduled to take nine weeks, after which an administrative law judge will determine whether the respondents must pay for some part of the $1.6 billion S&L failure. The respondents' defense includes a contention that the government case is part of a conspiracy involving Congress and environmentalists, aimed at gaining public ownership of Headwaters without just compensation. A ruling is expected sometime in December or January.

U.S. Sen. Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) has introduced S. 1180, which would weaken current listed species protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by eliminating interim protection for species before final recovery plans are established. S. 1180 also would allow flawed HCPs and national forest plans to substitute for species recovery plans, with no review of the schemes' biological suitability. Apparently to confuse the public, Kempthorne dubbed his bill "The Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1997," giving it the same name as Rep. George Miller's (D-Martinez) H.R. 2351, which was introduced July 31.

While environmentalists strongly support Miller's ESRA, they regard S. 1180 as a significant weakening of protection for imperiled species. A strong ESA has been forest advocates' strongest bulwark against habitat destruction.

A measure to ban the use of virgin redwood in city-owned parks and buildings passed the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Committee on Health, Family and the Environment on Oct. 9. The measure was scheduled to go before the full board on Oct. 19 and was expected to be ratified. If the measure is adopted, San Francisco would be the first city to ban the use of ancient redwood.

Forests Forever's greatest strength lies in its ability to educate a broad segment of the public about urgent forest-preservation campaigns through direct contacts. As of Sept. 30, Forests Forever's canvassers have garnered 26,382 commitments by citizens in 1997 to contact their legislators, urging them to save all 60,000 acres of Headwaters. The staff has collected and mailed an additional 7,208 letters on the campaign. In support of H.R. 2351 Forests Forever has obtained 10,194 commitments and written letters.

What you can do:

Add your voice (or add it again) to the chorus for strong Headwaters protection.

Please call, write, FAX or e-mail today

President Bill Clinton
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
202/456-1111 phone
202/456-2461 FAX
president@whitehouse.gov

Sen. Dianne Feinstein
U.S. Senate
Washington DC 20510
202/224-3841 phone
202/228-3954 FAX
senator@feinstein.senate.gov

Douglas Wheeler
California Secretary of Resources
1416 Ninth St. #1311
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/653-5656 phone
916/653-8102 FAX

Tell them you oppose any acquisition that limits protection of Headwaters to fewer than 60,000 acres and / or lacks an adequate HCP. And urge them to:

• save all six ancient groves of Headwaters Forest.

• not sacrifice other ancient forests through land trades for Headwaters.

• not restrict public participation or legal challenge to any acquisition plan.

• not exonerate Hurwitz of his financial and other responsibilities to American taxpayers.

• not endorse HCPs that would sacrifice endangered species.