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
Lumber Quality Workshops Announced
Terry Brown and the Lumber Quality Institute will again offer two lumber quality-related workshops in Salem, Ore. for the sawmill industry in November 2023. The Lumber Quality and Process Control Workshop will be held November 6-7, and the Lumber Quality Leadership Workshop will be held November 8-9…
BID Group Starts Apprenticeship Program
In a significant development for the local community, BID Group has collaborated with the Dept. of Labor and Apprenticeship Carolina to launch a groundbreaking apprenticeship program in its Fabrication Shop. The program provides valuable opportunities for aspiring professionals in the manufacturing sector…
U.S. Housing Starts Fall While Building Permits Rise
U.S. housing starts fell in August from July, at a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.283 million, down 11.3%. Single-family starts were at a rate of 941,000, 4.3% below July, while multi-family starts were the primary culprit at 334,000, down 26.3%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development monthly new residential construction report…
Canfor Puts ‘Stock’ In New BC Facility
Vancouver, BC-based Canfor Corp. is investing $200 million to build a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Houston, British Columbia, which will have an annual production capacity of 350MMBF. “I’m very pleased to be making this announcement in British Columbia, where Canfor has been proudly headquartered for 85 years,” comments Don Kayne, President and CEO. “This decision comes following…
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.