Amador County - Senator Dave Cox, whose district covers the Northeastern part of the state, issued the following statement after Sierra Pacific Industries announced the closures of sawmills in Camino, Sonora and Quincy: “The closure of these sawmills is devastating to the workers and the families who depend on these jobs,” said Cox. “It is especially disheartening to know that these closures account for almost half of the jobs in each of the local communities.” Cox added, “In the rural County of Plumas, the unemployment rate is already at 18.9 percent – fourth highest in the state. With California’s economic crisis, this announcement could not come at a worse time for workers of these sawmills.” In last month’s budget negotiations, Cox met with the Governor and legislative leaders several times. Cox argued that the state needed to begin to end the stranglehold placed on job providers in order to create job opportunities. Specifically, Cox asked that the state revise its timber harvest laws with a Timber Harvest Plan/Forest Conservation Plan to allow professional foresters to manage California’s forests and allow for proper thinning. “With California facing the highest unemployment rate in over a decade, my goal in budget negotiations was to create a more job-friendly environment so people can go back to work. I was told that my recommendations were too extreme,” he said. Sierra Pacific Industries also announced the closure of a sawmill in Tuolumne County affecting 146 workers and their families. Staff Report This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.