Office of the Secretary

For Immediate release: October 2, 1998

HEADWATERS FOREST DOCUMENTS RELEASED FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT, PUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULED

California and federal agencies today released draft environmental documentation on the proposed public acquisition of the ancient Headwaters Forest, the largest remaining block of privately owned old-growth redwood trees in the world. The draft is a combined federal environmental impact statement (EIS), and state environmental impact report (EIR), and will be available for public review and comment until November 16, 1998.

"Almost exactly two years ago, on September 28, 1996, the state and federal governments signed the original agreement with Pacific Lumber Company to try to make this happen," said Mike Spear, California/Nevada Operations Manager for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "With a tremendous amount of work by agency staff, and the company, we're now very close to being able to protect this ancient forest, and give the company some predictability in its timber harvest planning."

Copies of the document will be available at the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System website at http://ceres.ca.gov/ and through the Fish and Wildlife Service website at http://www.r1.fws.gov/text/species.html. Copies also will be available on compact disk, and can be obtained by contacting the Fish and Wildlife Service, 1125 16th St., Arcata, California 95521-5582, (707) 822-7201. That office also has lists of other government offices and libraries where the document may be reviewed, and of copy centers where it can be obtained for duplication and mailing charges.

The agencies also announced a series of four hearings, to provide the public the opportunity to make oral comments on the proposal. The hearings will be held at the following locations, dates and times:

• Tuesday, October 27, 1998. Radisson Hotel Los Angeles West, Pacific a Ballroom, 6161 West Centinela Ave., Culver City, California. From 1 - 4 p.m. and from 6 - 9 p.m.

• Thursday, October 29, 1998. Sacramento Convention Center, 1030 15th Street, Rooms 307-308, Sacramento, California. From 1 - 4 p.m. and from 6 - 9 p.m.

• Thursday, November 5, 1998. Oakland Marriott Convention Center, West Hall, 550 Tenth Street, Oakland, California. From 1 - 4 p.m. and from 6 - 9 p.m.

• Tuesday, November 10, 1998. Redwood Acres Fairgrounds, Franceshi Hall, 3750 Harris Street, Eureka, California. From 9 - 11 a.m. and from 1 - 4 p.m. and from 6 - 9 p.m.

The draft EIS/EIR documents the environmental effects of a proposed action and three alternatives. The proposed action includes the following items:

• Acquisition by the United States and the State of California from Pacific Lumber Company of the approximately 4,500-acre Headwaters Forest, which includes 2,700 acres of old-growth redwood trees, and the approximately 1,125-acre Elk Head Springs Forest, which includes about 425 acres of old-growth redwood trees;

• Funding by the United States and the State of California of the purchase of approximately 9,600 acres of Elk River Timber Company property, about 7,755 acres of which will be transferred to Pacific Lumber Company as part of the consideration for the Headwaters and Elk Head Springs Forests, and 1,845 acres of which will be transferred to the United States and the State of California and preserved as a buffer for the Headwaters Forest. The combined area of the acquired Headwaters and Elk Head Springs Forests, plus the Elk River property to be transferred to the United States and the State of California, is approximately 7,500 acres;

• Payment by the United States and the State of California of up to $380 million to Pacific Lumber Company and the Elk River Timber Company as payment for the Headwaters Forest, Elk Head Springs Forest and the Elk River Property;

• Issuance by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service of federal incidental take permits covering take of threatened and endangered species on Pacific Lumber Company's timberlands based on a habitat conservation plan (HCP) that meets the requirements of the federal Endangered Species Act and other applicable laws and regulations;

• Approval by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection of Pacific Lumber Company's sustained yield plan (SYP), including measures and plans addressing state-listed and federally listed species;



• Issuance by the California Department of Fish and Game of a state incidental take permit that meets the requirements of the California Endangered Species Act and other applicable laws and regulations; and

• Execution by California Department of Fish and Game of a streambed alteration agreement pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section 1600 to 1607.

California Assembly Bill 1986, passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Wilson, seeks to add certain conditions to the proposed HCP/SYP. These changes are being considered by the agencies. The full text of this bill can be obtained the California Environmental Resources Evaluation System website at http://ceres.ca.gov/ and through the Fish and Wildlife Service website at http://www.r1.fws.gov/text/species.html.

The draft habitat conservation plan, and draft sustained yield plan, also currently are available for public comment. Their comment period closes November 16, 1998, the same date as the close of the public comment period for the draft EIS/EIR.

-DOI-

  U.S. Department of the Interior