News: AG wants restraints on logger (Concord, Hampton: 2009, attorney, purchase)

[GraniteStater]

Concord Monitor - AG wants restraints on logger


It appears that NH needs to enact fines that are much greater on violaters or have a three strike policy.

[GregW]

Sounds to me like this guy should be made legally and financially responsible for any and all damage and clean up costs attributable to his poor logging activities. Logging can be done in a responsible manner with minimal environmental degredation but only if specified in the contract or enforced by the state.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by GregW

Sounds to me like this guy should be made legally and financially responsible for any and all damage and clean up costs attributable to his poor logging activities. Logging can be done in a responsible manner with minimal environmental degredation but only if specified in the contract or enforced by the state.

I like this part of the article the best. At least he can no longer move from town to town and clearcut everything without obeying specific environmental guidelines and logging standards.

"Assistant Attorney General Evan Mulholland is asking Grafton County Superior Court to require Bardsley, Porter and partner Linda Griffin to restore the Groton site, pay more fines and submit harvest plans for approval by the Department of Environmental Services before undertaking any logging operation in the state. Typically, loggers file a basic form recording their wetlands impacts, if they are minimal. They are allowed to start logging as soon as the form is submitted. The petition would also require Bardsley to disclose his record over the past four years to property owners before logging their land. Loggers in New Hampshire are not required to be licensed. Mulholland said most follow best management practices to protect wetlands and maintain a healthy forest. "In this case, and specifically for Gary Bardsley, he has repeatedly failed," Mulholland said. "We think we have to do this to protect . . . the sensitive areas."

[notdancingqueen]

I wonder if he's the fool logger who knocked out my power and the power to several other towns around here 2 weeks ago.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by notdancingqueen

I wonder if he's the fool logger who knocked out my power and the power to several other towns around here 2 weeks ago.

He was fined for violations in New Hampton in 2000, Sandwich and Loudon in 2005, Warner and Webster in 2006, Bradford in 2007, Bristol in 2008, and Groton in late 2008 extending into this year. A total of seven violations were found according to the article.

[GraniteStater]

You can get a few rogue loggers with little regulation. The state does not require any licensing for loggers and has no laws at all against clearcutting. The original article mentioned severe erosion at the Groton site which led to extreme mudslides during the late fall. If the situation was that severe I would think it might impact some of the surrounding adjacent landowners properties. This is not a good comparison, but I have seen the damage and destruction that mudslides cause in California. The rain falls over steep slopes that have been previously burned in the past. This creates a very unstable vertical slope that can be moved more easily when a significant precipitation event does occur.

[motoracer51]

Is all this logging done on his, or his company's personally owned land?

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by motoracer51

Is all this logging done on his, or his company's personally owned land?

From what I gather it appears he has a few partners who do the logging. I think the prior schemes have been to purchase parcels and then completely liquidate the holdings. He has over seven logging violations in towns across NH ranging from: Loudon, Sandwich, Bradford, Warner, Webster, Bristol, and now Groton. Most of the violations were a result of wetlands violations, terrain alteration, etc. An individual like this with no respect at all for the environment needs to be prohibited from logging at all in the state unless the DES approves a new project.

[GregW]

I suggest a civil suit to recover damages. Put him out of business forever.