PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Amend chapter 222-30 WAC, Timber harvesting, related to riparian areas. The forest practices board is considering a fixed-width, no-cut buffer approach.
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: The reason for this rule making is to simplify rules for management of riparian areas on forest land while protecting riparian function.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The board adopts rules pertaining to water quality protection with agreement from the Washington department of ecology.
Process for Developing New Rule: The board will request input from interested stakeholders and seek to reach consensus on the terms of the proposed rule. Also, prior to filling the CR-102 Proposed rule making, the board will request input from counties of the state and the Washington department of fish and wildlife per RCW 76.09.040(2), as well as the department of ecology and tribes.
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.
August 25, 2008
Victoria Christiansen
Chair