AMERICAN LOGGERS COUNCIL BOARD VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO OPPOSE THE CONFIRMATION OF “TREE SPIKING” SUPPORTER TRACY STONE-MANNING AS DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
TO: United States Senate
FROM: American Loggers Council
RE: Bureau of Land Management Nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning
The American Loggers Council respects the prerogative of an Administration to nominate and form its own cabinet. As such, we do not generally weigh in on the nominees or of the confirmation process.
However, the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning and the public information of her involvement in eco-terrorist tree-spiking in the past is very disconcerting. Tree spiking is designed to damage equipment and potentially injure/kill loggers and mill workers. Those trees remain a hazard and threat to loggers today.
The Bureau of Land Management(BLM) is responsible for managing 250 million acres, including for forest management/logging. Her history of involvement in activities designed to oppose and interfere with healthy forest management practices on public lands cast doubt on her qualifications to effectively administer the responsibilities of the position she has been nominated for.
As a result of the American Loggers Council Board of Directors unanimous vote, after a thorough review of the attached information and discussion, the American Loggers Council opposes her nomination as Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
As the national voice of the American logger, representing 30 states, the American Loggers Council respectfully requests that members of the Senate vote NO on her confirmation.
ASSOCIATED CALIFORNIA LOGGERS LETTER IN OPPOSITION TO THE CONFIRMATION OF TRACY STONE-MANNING:
July 28, 2021
The Honorable Jim Risch
Member of the United States Senate
483 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Risch:
It has come to our attention that the nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning as director of the United States Bureau of Land Management has, via a procedural vote, cleared the Energy and Natural Resources Committee of the US Senate and is on its way for a vote on the floor of the United States Senate.
Associated California Loggers believes that this is a nomination which requires “bi-partisan opposition,” and that the nomination of Ms. Tracy Stone-Manning should be defeated. We urge all Senators to vote “NO” when this nomination comes before her for vote. We have contacted Senator Dianne Feinstein and Senator Alex Padilla of California with this message.
Associated California Loggers is the trade association representing the largely family-owned, multi-generational logging companies, log trucking companies , and log road building companies in California. Our members know that, particularly in California, they must work cooperatively with the environmental community on matters of treatment, fuels reduction and harvesting; and with the federal and state agencies that regulate us.
There are any number of people or causes which our logger and faller membership can embrace in good fellowship, but we can never support someone who took an active part in seeking to maim or kill our workers.
The incident in question with Ms. Stone-Manning – a letter that she typed in “warning” (but supportive of) tree-spiking that had actually been accomplished in an Idaho forest, was written back in 1989.
In 1987, just two years before the typing and delivery of the letter by Ms. Stone-Manning, something happened of which she was certainly aware.
A 23-year old mill worker named George Alexander– in a reminder that loggers aren’t the only potential victims of this crime –ran a log with a tree spike in it through a Louisiana Pacific lumber mill assembly line in Cloverdale, California that nearly decapitated him. The log exploded. One half of the blade stuck in the log. The other half hit Alexander in the head, tearing through his safety helmet and face shield. His face was slashed from eye to chin. His teeth were smashed and his jaw was cut in half.
This is the human cost of this practice. And please bear in mind that this was a young Californian who went through this pain and disfigurement, hence the strong opposition to Ms. Stone-Manning among our membership.
We understand that Ms. Stone-Manning withheld information about her involvement in eco-terrorism from staff and members of Congress. A letter from a retired US Forest Service forester who dealt directly with Ms. Stone-Manning during this period has been presented to the Senate. This letter provides further information on Ms. Stone-Manning’s motivation.
Surely there can and will be a better candidate to manage the extensive lands of the Bureau of Land Management.
We again urge the United States Senate to vote NO on the confirmation of Tracy Stone-Manning as Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
Sincerely,
ERIC CARLESON
Executive Director
Associated California Loggers
“JOIN US”
The 100 members of the United States Senate have not yet voted on the confirmation of Tracy Stone-Manning on the Senate Floor. Please contact your two US Senators in California, and, if you can, the two US Senators in Nevada, to express your opposition to this confirmation:
CALIFORNIA US SENATORS:
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D)
202-224-3841
feinstein.senate.gov
Senator Alex Padilla (D)
202-224-3553
padilla.senate.gov
NEVADA US SENATORS
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D)
202-224-3542
cortezmasto.senate.gov
Senator Jacky Rosen (D)
202-224-6244
rosen.senate.gov