CONTACT: Tim Ahern, DOI               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
         Scott Smullen, NOAA          July 13, 1998

WASHINGTON - The Federal Register will publish on Tuesday notice of the availability of a draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that will mitigate impact of logging activities on more than 200,000 acres of redwood forests in northern California. The draft HCP complements the proposed purchase and permanent set-aside of the Headwaters old-growth redwood forest.

The administration is committed to ensuring that the final HCP, which will not be finalized until public input has been received and analyzed, provides the necessary protection for several species of fish and wildlife in the covered area, according to Terry Garcia, assistant secretary of Commerce for oceans and atmosphere, and David Hayes, counselor to Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt.

Both Hayes and Garcia noted the final HCP will address comments from the public and they urged interested citizens to review the document and provide their views, whether in writing or at public hearings that will be held in California.

"This draft document reflects the agreement which all parties signed last Feb. 26," said Garcia. "The objective is the same as other HCPs - to restore the fully functioning aquatic habitat that contribute to the conservation of threatened coho salmon."

Hayes commented that, "This draft plan provides good protection for marbled murrelets in the so-called 'lesser cathedrals.' It also provides habitat for northern spotted owls. Like other HCPs, it will be based on sound science and will meet our objective to provide necessary protection for endangered and threatened species."

The document submitted by Pacific Lumber is a draft and will be available to the public tomorrow, both on the Internet ( www.r1.fws.gov/text/species.html ) and in public libraries and other public buildings throughout California. In August, the federal agencies will issue a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and within the next few days, details will be announced of public hearings that will be held in California.

The issuance of the draft HCP is an important milestone in the process of purchasing the Headwaters forest, which includes the largest stand of old-growth redwoods still in private hands.