Old Growth Reserve Logging Begins at Biscuit: 11 Arrested at Fiddler Timber Sale Blockade

Related subject info on L-P's history in Oroville, CA;

researched by luna moth

Timber corporation practices and their long term effects on communities can demonstrate corporate interest is short term profit. Far from the hills of Oregon a large scale timber operation leaves it's scar on Oroville..

Louisiana-Pacific corporation morphed out of Georgia-Pacific in 1973. The L-P wood treatment facility in southern Oroville used pentachlorophenols (PCPs) and other toxic chemicals in their log deck ponds. This site was shared with Kopper Co., for info on Kopper;

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HAC/PHA/koppers2/kci_p1.html

Some other carcinogens used at the L-P log deck;

Arsenic, chromium (VI), formaldehyde, polycyclic aromated hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDDs/PCDFs), etc..

The L-P plant in Oroville is located 1.5 miles from the Feather River on top of a dredge tailing pile from previous mining. The dredge tailing is gravel and allows water to enter the shallow groundwater (7-45 ft below ground surface) and also regional aquifer (65- 317 ft below gs) over time. Between the shallow groundwater and regional aquifer is a shallow aquitard of clay and silt. PCPs were detected by residents between '73 and '83. The chemicals migrated in the regional aquifer for 1.5 miles south. L-P used fungicides containing PCPs between '70 and '84. Upon entering the Feather River, some PCP molecules are absorbed into fish by the process of bioaccumulation. Despite community concern about the health of fish and residents, the toxic groundwater was ignored by L-P execs..

Here's some very detailed info on PCPs from;

http://wlaphttp://www.gov.bc.ca/wat/wq/BCguidelines/chlorophenols/bcchlorophenol-10.htm

"Since they are immersed in the uptake medium, and have very efficient uptake sites in the gills, fish are most susceptible to bioaccumulation of PCP with factors up to 1000 for whole fish in sub-lethal PCP concentrations in the water (204, 279). Concentration factors in the gall bladder, where concentration and conjugation occur preparatory to elimination, may reach 5400 (204). Amphibian tadpole stages and neotenous forms are even more susceptible to chlorophenols since they too are fully immersed, have gills, are smaller, and do not have protective scales on most of their body."

A great deal of community pressure is needed for the EPA to declare a Superfund site on the National Priority List (NPL). There needs to be peer reviewed scientific evidence of a threat to get NPL status. When a site is removed from the NPL list, the corporation responsible for the hazardous materials is released from any financial obligation to help in site clean up. Time 2 pack up and leave, eh L-P?

In 1996 the EPA removed the contaminated site from the Superfund list;

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/d961121.htm

(Superfund info available at Oroville public library)

One year later;

from endgame website;



"A Corporation in Liquidation

In October 1997, L-P announced that over the next two years it would sell more than 25 percent ($1 billion worth) of its assets as part of its efforts to streamline its operations and focus on high-tech timber products. The assets, most of which are in Northern California, include 300,000 acres of redwood timber lands, accounting for about 23% of the firm's timberland properties; three sawmills; a pulp mill; and two distribution centers. L-P would still produce timber from 24 mills outside California. L-P also revealed plans to cut 3,500 jobs, or about 30% of its 12,000-member work force, including 1,108 workers in six Northern California facilities targeted for sale. It plans to produce a new generation of wood products using oriented strand board, which are laminated chips used as substitute for plywood and other traditional wood products"

above article from;