Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)

New! Short Youtube Video on Richardson Grove

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Landmark Ninth Circuit Ruling: Logging Roads = Pollution

EPIC Got It Right In Our Bear Creek Case: Culverts and Ditches Along Logging Roads Are ‘Point Sources’ of Water Pollution, and must be regulated under a permit system. On August 17, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a landmark ruling in an case from Oregon titled NEDC v Brown. The Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC) is the environmental advocacy group staffed by law students at the Lewis and Clark Law School.

Tolowa Dunes State Park Faces Threats

State Parks Director Ruth Coleman appears determined to downgrade protection for this ecologically unique and culturally sensitive area at the behest of a few waterfowl hunters. Director Coleman has indicated that it is her intent to open ponds and sloughs in the northern section of the Park to waterfowl hunting before the end of 2010, and is pursuing their reclassification from "Park" to "State Recreation Area."

Huge Caltrans Project Threatens Smith River and Old Growth Redwoods

Similar to the Richardson Grove highway widening project, Caltrans has submitted a proposal for an STAA expansion along Highways 199 and 197 through the old growth redwoods adjacent to the middle fork of the Smith River.

Eye on Green Diamond: Jacoby Creek Operations

If you have been wondering the origin of the small logs being hauled through the residential neighborhood in the Jacoby Creek area of Bayside, look no further than Green Diamond's 2008 logging plans. Two Green Diamond clearcut logging plans, approved last year and filed to begin operations at the end of July, are underway.

Mining Project Decision Withdrawn Near Salmon River

The Klamath National Forest withdrew the decision notice for the High Bar Mine proposal rather than address EPIC and our allies' appeal to the ill-conceived mining project. Now the agency plans to re-do the NEPA documents, for the third time. The mining operation proposal threatens McNiel Creek, a key cold water tributary crucial for the Salmon River's fish runs.

Great letter to the Editor: Save Richardson Grove

Recently, I drove home to Ferndale from Sonoma County. Since the last time I made this 101 drive, someone had stretched a banner between two redwood trees at the southern entrance to Richardson Grove. Just before plunging into the dark woods, the words “Save Richardson Grove” flashed by. I paid close attention to what I was seeing, thanks to that sign.

Eye on Green Diamond: Future Clearcuts Planned

Green Diamond Resource Company (GDR) has been intensively working to churn out dozen of new logging plans for 2010. Thus far in 2010, GDR has filed 37 THPs covering thousands of acres. Nearly all of these plans call for a vast majority of logging operations to be conducted by clearcut.

Richardson Grove Campaign Update

Now that EPIC and our allies have filed a lawsuit against Caltrans for the Richardson Grove project, the next legal proceedings for Richardson Grove are on hold until CalTrans files "the record" with the Court. "The record" is all the information, documents, studies and data and that CalTrans consulted in researching and designing the project. We have also learned that on June 30, the California Transportation Commission voted to fund the Richardson Grove project, which would cost approximately $10 million.

25th Anniversary of EPIC v. Johnson

EPIC v. Johnson marked a significant milestone in environmental protection, much of which was initiated by environmental laws passed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In California this included the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Forest Practices Act (FPA), and California Endangered Species Act (CESA).