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
Is There An Oppurtunity Here?
Story by Rich Donnell, Editor-in-Chief In case you’ve forgotten, the U.S. Forest Service does still exist? Many in our industry have forgotten about this agency, perhaps even chosen to forget it, ever since our industry…
Canfor Announces Permanent Closure Of Rustad and Tackama Mills
After a lengthy indefinite shutdown that followed the collapse of the United States residential housing market in 2008, Canfor Corporation has decided to close its historic Rustad Sawmill in Prince George, B.C. and Tackama Mill…
Lewiston Mill Sold To Idaho Forest Group
Clearwater Paper Corp. is selling its Lewiston, Idaho sawmill to Idaho Forest Group of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The $30 million transaction includes the sale of Clearwater Paper’s sawmill, planer mill, dry kilns, and related assets…
2011 West Coast Log, Lumber Exports Surpass 2010 Totals
Log and lumber exports from Washington, Oregon, northern California, and Alaska in the first three quarters of 2011 have surpassed the total exports of 2010 according to the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station.…
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.