Sierra Pacific Industries Hopes Ruling Will Deter California Regulators
A top resource official for timber giant Sierra Pacific Industries says he hopes a judge’s scathing ruling in the company’s favor will deter overzealous state regulators.
Retired Superior Court Judge Leslie C. Nichols found the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection guilty of “egregious and reprehensible” actions while investigating the 2007 Moonlight Fire and ordered the agency to pay more than $30 million in penalties and legal fees, The Associated Press reported.
Nichols, who was appointed to the case by the state Supreme Court, said Feb. 4 that Cal Fire’s efforts to blame SPI and other landowners were corrupt and tainted, according to the wire service.
Dan Tomascheski, SPI’s vice president in charge of resources, said the company’s relations with the state’s firefighting agency have been positive.
“There are a lot of good, professional and ethical people working at Cal Fire,” Tomascheski said in an interview at the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference here on Feb. 6. “They’re one of the world’s best firefighting agencies and we need their support. This was about I think a few individuals who, in pursuing financial gain, let their vision get clouded by the prospect of extracting a large settlement from us,” he said. “I think their investigations going forward are going to be carefully done and be meticulous. There won’t be a rush to judgment. They’ll do their job.”
From Capital Press: capitalpress.com.
RELATED ARTICLES
Sierra Pacific Buys Oregon’s Seneca
Sierra Pacific Foundation Grants Scholarships
Latest News
Maibec Selling Its Two Sawmills To Groupe Lebel
Maibec has announced that it concluded a transaction with Groupe Lebel of Rivière-du-Loup for their acquisition of the Maibec lumber mills located in St. Pamphile, Que., and Masardis, Maine. The 315 employees of Maibec that…
Interfor To Invest In Georgia Sawmill
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Interfor Corporation is investing into its Thomaston sawmill in Upson County. The lumber manufacturer announced its Thomaston mill will be part of Phase II of the Southern Investment Strategy. In all,…
Georgia-Pacific Announces New $150 Million Georgia Sawmill
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Georgia-Pacific announced plans to build a new regional lumber production facility at the Albany-Dougherty Industrial Park in east Albany on U.S. Highway 82. Construction on the $150 million, 320,000-square-foot, technologically advanced…
Canfor Says It Paid Over $50 Million To U.S. In Countervailing Duties
Canfor Corporation says it paid $51.7 million in countervailing duties in the second quarter, the result of U.S. tariffs that went into force in 2017. Canfor, which sells more than half of its lumber to…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Timber Processing Industry Newsletter reaches over 4,000 mill owners and supervisors.
Subscribe/Renew
Timber Processing is delivered 10 times per year to subscribers who represent sawmill ownership, management and supervisory personnel and corporate executives. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative.