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July 23, 1998 San Francisco Chronicle, pg. A14 U.S. Assails State's Headwaters Logging Plan Alex Barnum, Chronicle Staff Writer In a move that raises new concerns about the deal to protect Headwaters forest, federal officials have rebuked California's forestry agency for approving what they said was possibly an unlawful logging plan on property owned by Pacific Lumber Co. The regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service said in a letter Turesday that the logging plan could violate federal endangered species statutes and called on the state to immediately revoke its approval. "The (fisheries service) is deeply concerned and disappointed by the Californial Department of Forestry's disregard for its responsibilities and obligations," wrote the agency official, William Hogarth. The letter said the state's approval "has the potential to compromise" implementation of the $380 million deal to save the Headwaters forest. In response, Pacific Lumber abruptly halted cutting trees in the area covered by the logging plan. And state officials quickly called a meeting with agency scientists and the company to discuss concerns about the plan.
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