H-1547.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1903

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Stensen and Regala

Read first time 02/10/1999.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Defining public safety for the purposes of the forest practices act.

    AN ACT Relating to the authority of the department of natural resources to consider public safety concerns in authorizing forest practices; and adding a new section to chapter 76.09 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 76.09 RCW to read as follows:

    For the purposes of this section, "public safety" means reducing the risk to the public at large from snow avalanches, as identified by the department of transportation, landslides, or debris torrents caused by forest practices.

    The department shall consider public safety when reviewing an application for forest practices under RCW 76.09.060.  The department may condition the approval of, or deny a forest practices permit application being reviewed under RCW 76.09.060, based upon reasonable concerns regarding public safety.

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