California Supreme Court votes for new endangered species protections

Check out Times staff writer Maura Dolan's story today about new protections issued by the California Supreme Court to endangered species.

According to the story, the court ruled unanimously that "developers, loggers and other commercial interests may be required to compensate for unforeseen wildlife losses." The ruling threw out the long-term logging plan for 200,000 acres in Humboldt County that was approved by the state; the plan was put on hold by lower courts several years ago, according to the story.

Justice Carlos R. Moreno, writing for the court, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection had "failed to proceed according to law" because it had approved an "unidentifiable" plan that was delegated to the logging company for completion.

The battle between loggers and environmentalists centered on land that had been in timber production for 120 years and was home to the marbled murrelet, an endangered bird. After Pacific Lumber was acquired by Maxxam Inc. in 1996, Pacific began cutting down old-growth redwoods at a faster rate to offset Maxxam's debt. The deforestation led to litigation and huge protests.

The pact required Pacific Lumber to sell part of its land to the government for conservation and to obtain environmental permits.

Thursday's ruling ends a long-running battle over those permits but is not expected to unravel the pact. The decision established rules that the state must follow in approving large-scale logging plans or any major development that might endanger wildlife facing extinction.

The court said that companies must mitigate for wildlife losses to which they directly contribute, or losses incurred when a natural disaster makes commercial activity more threatening to endangered wildlife, according to the story. The ruling applies to public works and private development.

-- Tami Abdollah

Photo: A view of a portion of ancient redwood forest in Humboldt County. Credit: Kent Porter / Associated Press/Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Comments

[Bruce]

Pacific Lumber was acquired by Maxxam in 1986, not 1996 as you incorrectly reported.