In one sense, it’s small potatoes. By the numbers alone, the government seizure of a few pallets of exotic hardwood worth only about $100,000 barely merits mention in an era where corporate penalties can top $1 billion. But U.S. v. Ebony Wood in Various Forms is no ordinary enforcement effort, and it may cast a long shadow for years to come.
The case has garnered a lot of mainstream press, largely because the target, Gibson Guitar Corp., is a beloved instrument maker and not the type of company intuitively associated with environmental violations. Music blogs are abuzz with musicians’ fears that—if you follow the enforcement action to the next logical step—they could be in jeopardy of losing their instruments.
