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Boise Cascade corporation sanctioned for US $200.000 for destroying archeologigical heritage and environmental damage

Thursday, April 03, 2003

The firm, Compañía Industrial Puerto Montt, through its representative Robert B. Crawford (Boise Cascade Corporation and Maderas Condor, S.A.), owner of the Cascada Chile Project, was found guilty of destroying a valuable archeological site in the area of the Bay of Ilque, 22 kilometers from the city of Puerto Montt (Lakes Region, Chile). In an historic decision, judge Juan Carlos Silva Opazo of the Second Court of First Instance of Puerto Montt, (Trial # 612-99) accepted the complaint titled Reparation and Compensationbrought by the Consejo de Defensa del Estado Chileno (Defense Council of the Chilean State) against the Cascada Chile Project. He further ordered:

The restoration and reparation of the physical environment and its integrity that was affected in the area of Ilque. Compensate the State of Chile, for the sum of US$200,000 dolars (two hundred thousand dolar), for destroying archeological sites in the Bay of Ilque.

This sanction is the largest economic fine imposed on a company for destroying archeological heritage and the Chilean environment. The decision of Chiles justice system follows the repeal of the rights to the beach, sea bottom, and part of the water for the port of embarkation, by Chiles Board of Maritime Territory (Directemar), which was issued on July 31, 2001 through Decree 245, for failure to comply with contract.

It should be highlighted that Cascade Chile is still the owner of several properties in the Bay of Ilque and maintains control over other properties leased directly from directly the Chilean government, and opportunely making lease payments, which remains in effect until February 2003. (General Treasury of the Republic Archive # 4087450 of 12/5/2002 for $ 1.707.889 dollars). This contradicts statements made by Boise Cascade Manager George Harad, who assured that his company does not have property in Chile and no interest in continuing the project.

From the above text, it is possible to conclude that the constant falsehoods from George Harad y Boise Cascade Corporation about the true intentions of the Cascade Chile Project, and the current delicate situation in Chile, create the suspicion that Boise Cascade Corporation, unable to put this project into effect in past years, has artificially maintained this project alive, whether it be for searching for the necessary funds for its development, or as a form of international investment to justify paying less taxes in the USA, which would be a flagrant violation of tax-evasion in the country to the north.

To obtain related information, please contact:

Geo Austral
geoaustral@telsur.cl
Casilla Postal 876 Puerto Montt - Chile
NOW...Geo Austral FM 101.5 The First Environmental Radio.

Sierra Sky Interpreting & Translation
1130 Swall Meadows Road
Swall Meadows, CA 93514
Phone & FAX: 760.387.2241
Cell Phone: 760.937.6916
Email: kallen@qnet.com
Owner: Katharine Allen

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