Environmental groups are joining with the U.S. timber industry (!) today in the fight over softwood timber imports from Canada. In a petition expected to be filed with the U.S. Commerce Department today, the groups argue that British Columbia is illegally subsidizing lumber producers by ignoring violations of the Canada Fisheries Act and letting logging companies wreak havoc on salmon streams. Bob Plecas, president of the B.C. Lumber Trade Council, disputed the claims in the petition, which he said was little more than a bid by U.S. enviros to grab media attention.
