Missouri Sets National Precedent By Declaring a Moratorium
on Chip Mills
Citizens
Urge the State of Virginia
and Vice President Gore to Follow Suit
In a precedent setting move today, the State of Missouri became the first
state in the country to declare a two-year moratorium on any new chip
mill permits. Choosing caution over corporate timber interests, the moratorium
will give Missouri time to develop policies that protect the state’s
water quality, forests and local hardwood manufacturers from the rampant
spread of industrial forestry. Forest experts and outdoor enthusiasts
across the southeast hailed the move as precedent that could be emulated
by every state facing the environmental and economic impact of chip mills.
Local citizens are urging the State of Virginia to follow Missouri’s
lead. Teena Willemsa of Coalition on Religion in the Appalachia
(CORA) ,was encouraged by Missouri’s announcement. In October
1999 CORA made the following resolution supporting a moratorium and stating,
“Our elected officials have a responsiblity to protect Southern forests
for our Children and fore future generations. Forests provide clean
drinking water, protect habitat for hunting and fishing and improve the
quality of life for families throughout the South.”
Since 1985, over 120 chip mills have been opened in the South, logging
an estimated 1.2 million acres a year with virtually no regulation.
A two-year multi-agency federal study is currently underway to assess
forest sustainability in 13 states throughout the southeast. Missouri,
which is not included in the study, is the first state to declare a moratorium.
Missouri is also one of three states currently conducting a study of chip
mills.
A legislative study on the impacts of chip mills is in progress in Virginia.
The study was the result of state-wide opposition to the permitting of
a chip mill in Dickenson County and the unchecked growth of the industry
in the state. Due to the lack of forest protection policy in Virginia,
citizen groups have initiated a Community Forest Watch Program.
The Community Forest Watch reports logging sites and any water quality
violations to the Division of Forestry.
"A moratorium on new chip mills in Virginia would give us the time
needed to develop comprehensive forest protection policies and to put
some much needed controls on an out-of-control industry” said Valerie
True of Dogwood Alliance. “It should be the responsibility of the
state, not local citizens, to ensure the protection of water quality,
wildlife habitat, and local economies.”
Citizens are also hoping that the announcement of today’s moratorium
in Missouri will encourage Vice President Al Gore to weigh in at the federal
level and call for a moratorium on chip mills throughout the South. In
1992 as a United States Senator, Vice president Al Gore was instrumental
in the denial of permits for two chip mills along the Tennessee
River.
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