THP 520, The "Hole In Headwaters" will likely be approved by the California Department of Forestry within the next 10 working days. Public comment closed Thursday 1/11 on Amendment #5 submitted by Maxxam/Pacific Lumber last October. This present incarnation of THP 520 was in direct reponse to the EPIC/Sierra Club lawsuit which was granted on injunction on logging last July and is set to go to trial in March. EPIC and the Sierra Club are discussing legal options for the new amendment. This means that within 24hrs. or less notice, we'll need to organize a blockade of the Hole In Headwaters as well as maintaining our Mattole stance. North Coast Earth First! has enjoyed strong support from Elk River residents and we had a basecamp site in Elk River last June.
The land inside the "Hole" and across the river from it, some 7,000 acres of forest, were traded to Maxxam/Pacific Lumber as part of the Headwaters "Deal." This 7,000 acres of forest was identified in the state law that funded the "Deal" as a priority for acquisition with whatever funds remain after the purchase of Owl Creek, for which $80 million was allocated. The state just announced that it is buying Owl Creek for $67 million, potentially leaving $13 million for this acquisition. These new logging plans pose a serious threat not only to the proposed acquisition area, but also to the biological integrity of the Headwaters Reserve itself.
New logging on the South Fork Elk River (except on THP 97-520) is currently constrained by a so-called "moratorium" that was imposed by the California Department of Forestry in January 1998. This moratorium requires additional information on aggravated flooding and public safety concerns for downstream Elk River residents. However, in nearby Freshwater Creek, the same so-called "moratorium" has been lifted under a substantially weaker standard than that originally imposed by CDF.