Every year on the North Coast, more than 20,000 acres of land are sprayed with poisonous herbicides after being clearcut. These chemicals pose serious risks to many species, including the threatened Chinook and Coho Salmon and Steelhead Trout, but the Environmental Protection Agency has never consulted with appropriate fish and wildlife agencies before authorizing their use. On August 31, Californians for Alternatives to Toxics, the Humboldt Watershed Council, and EPIC filed suit against the EPA for this reason, alleging that EPA's failure to consult on the impacts of these herbicides is in violation of the federal Endangered Species Act.

The lawsuit focuses on the effects of Atrazine, Roundup, 2 4-D, Garlon, and other herbicides on threatened fish species and listed plants such as the endangered Western Lily. Many studies show that even small amounts of these chemicals can cause serious problems, and organic farmers and residents surrounded by industrial forestland are very concerned that their water supplies are being adversely affected by the heavy use of herbicides. This concern is heightened because diesel fuel is usually mixed with the chemicals before they are applied, resulting in thousands of gallons of diesel being sprayed on the North Coast each year.