
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 4, 1993                   TAG: 9305040192
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

FOREST SERVICE FAULTED FOR THEFTS OF TIMBER

Forest Service investigations into million-dollar timber thefts at national forests have been hampered by the industry's political influence and interference from the agency's own managers, a congressional report says.

Investigators for the House Appropriations Committee said thefts, coupled with fraud in measuring government logs, may exceed $100 million. More than 100 cases of alleged timber theft are under investigation, the report said.

One unidentified U.S. attorney described the Forest Service as "too prone to excuse logging practices which amount to theft" and "too willing to handle such theft as contract violations and not criminal violations."

Last month, an Oregon timber company agreed to pay the government nearly $1.7 million to settle allegations that the business conspired to steal timber from two national forests. - Associated Press

by CNB