Woodchip Export Protests in Maine and Alabama 10/25/95
From: Native Forest Network

Woodchipping Protesters Give Maine Governor Big Send-Off
Augusta, Maine, October 23 1995: Maine Governor Angus King, on his way to Japan with representatives of forest industry giant Bowater to seek markets for Maine woodchips, received a send-off at the airport on October 23 by protesters from the Native Forest Network (NFN) and Maine Earth First!.

The protesters were there to draw attention to the pending destruction of Wassumkeag (Sears) Island, Maine's largest undeveloped island, for a proposed cargo export facility.

Jim Freeman of NFN engaged King in dialogue in which King claimed that few woodchips would be exported from Sears. Freeman reminded him of the studies which state that up to 90% of the cargo to go out from Sears Island would be raw woodchips as the Maine Woods are ground up and sent overseas for disposable paper and wood products.

The defenders of Maine hoisted big banners, one proclaiming "Fish or Chips? Stop the Sears Island Chip Port."

A suitcase full of woodchips was displayed where passengers had to stop at the airport metal detector, and Maine businesspeople boarding the plane for Japan were encouraged to take chips and ask the Governor to sign them.

Many did, proclaiming support for the Maine Woods defenders. Traci Hickson of Web of Life encouraged King to "Stop working for big business and start working for the people of Maine."

Meanwhile, activists with the Japan Environmental Monitor have been disseminating information on Sears Island in Japan in preparation for King's 10-day visit. For details on the Sears Island debacle see the EcoNet nfn.tempforest conference, item #403.

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Woodchip Export Foes Converge on Mobile Alabama

Mobile Alabama, October 24, 1995: A coalition of activists from the Southeast and beyond converged in Mobile, Alabama today to protest the massive export of woodchips from this port city. Scott Paper especially is guilty of sending American forests overseas as chips to be turned into disposable products.

The activists marched on the International Trade Center (ITC) and the Army Corps of Engineers. The ITC, located near where the chip barges arrive loaded from the interior, is responsible for allowing international trade of woodchips which should remain here as forests. Protesters also converged on the federal building which houses the ACE, who continue to issue permits for siting of chipping facilities with no public input.

According to Jake Kreilick of the Native Forest Network, who helped organize the protest, the coalition demanded a region-wide environmental and economic analysis of the imapcts of dozens of chip mills and the export of huge quantities of chips.

Posted November 1995 By: Phil Knight Native Forest Network Yellowstone
1995 contact info
PO Box 6151, Bozeman, MT 59771-6151
(406) 585-9211 Email nfn@igc.apc.org