The California Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the Siskiyou County Environmental Health and the USDA Office of Inspector General are investigating a case of illegal dumping from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Shasta McCloud Management Unit in Northern California. Read the most recent response from the USFS published on April 5, 2026 in the Siskiyou News here. More updates on this issue can be found at the bottom of this page. 

A whistleblower within the forestry industry witnessed and reported hazardous tree-marking paint being mishandled and improperly disposed of—unlawful practices that could put public lands, ecosystems, waterways, Native lands and nearby communities at real risk. As American citizens, we all have a responsibility to expose this wrongdoing. Staying silent could mean allowing harmful violations to continue unchecked. There are many important questions unanswered. How widespread or systemic is this issue? How long has this unlawful practice persisted with the Forest Service and its contractors? This is why a proper investigation must be thoroughly conducted.

In support of the surrounding communities where this incident occurred,  we ask for your help to hold the appropriate entities accountable in their investigations of this issue, the potential remediations required, and better enforcement of regulations moving forward.

By adding your name and signing this petition, you can let your representatives and the USFS know that the general public cares about the proper handling and disposal of hazardous tree-marking paint in Northern California. Our public lands, wildlife, and communities deserve better—and together, we can demand it.

"Unless we practice conservation, those who come after us will have to pay the price of misery, degradation, and failure for the progress and prosperity of our day." - Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service