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
Hankins Lumber To Restart Grenada, Mississippi Sawmill
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Officials from Hankins Lumber Co. announced that the company is reopening its southern yellow pine lumber facility in Grenada, Miss. following a 15 month closure due to the downturn in the…
Work Starts On New Sawmill At Site Of Deadly Prince George, B.C. Explosion
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Prince George Mayor Shari Green acknowledged that “there are broken hearts” in the breaking of the ground at Lakeland Mills. Dignitaries, mill employees and loved ones gathered to watch construction get…
Georgia-Pacific Completes Acquisition Of Temple-Inland Building Products
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-1548381510056-0’); }); Georgia-Pacific today announced it has completed the acquisition of the Temple-Inland Building Products assets from International Paper Co. after receiving clearance from the Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino merger review…
Southern Lumber And Timber Market Recovery Underway
Economic recovery is producing promising outgrowths for the Southern lumber and timber industry. Increasing demand and constrained supply globally are inciting a long-term rebound across the U.S., which is good news for Florida where timber…
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.