PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: The forest practices board is considering rule making in TITLE 222 WAC, Forest practices, to allow for harvest of danger trees adjacent to residential home sites.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 76.09.040.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Currently the forest practices rules do not allow for the removal of trees that threaten public safety on "forest land" as that term is defined in chapter 222-16 WAC. The board intends to amend any rules necessary to ensure the safety of people and residential developments.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The departments of ecology, fish and wildlife and revenue may have an interest in rule development. The board will contact those agencies for this purpose.
Process for Developing New Rule: The board will request input from interested stakeholders to develop rule language, including the state agencies listed above, and also the Washington state association of counties to ensure that the counties' jurisdictional responsibilities are appropriately considered.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by mailing, faxing, or e-mailing comments to Patricia Anderson, Forest Practices Board Rules Coordinator, Department of Natural Resources, Forest Practices Division, P.O. Box 47012, Olympia, WA 98504-7012, fax (360) 902-1428, e-mail forest.practicesboard@dnr.wa.gov.
May 30, 2008
Victoria Christiansen
Chair