The forest practices board's (FPB) mandate is to adopt rules to protect the state's public resources while maintaining a viable forest products industry. The following rule proposals are under development or are anticipated during this time period. There may be additional rule-making activity not on the agenda as conditions warrant.

     1. Hydraulic project approval/forest practices applications. The board will consider rule making to integrate the hydraulic project approvals into the forest practices rules. The 2012 legislature passed 2ESSB 6406 which integrates hydraulic project approvals associated with forestry activities into the forest practices application and review process.

     2. Lands platted. The board will consider initiating rule making at its August meeting to implement HB 1582 (2011 legislation) that removes references to lands that were platted after January 1, 1960. These lands are no longer defaulted into a Class IV forest practices and are no longer automatically assumed to be lands that will be converted to a nonforestry land use.

     3. Notice of conversion activities. The board will consider initiating rule making at its August meeting to amend rules that implement SB 5883 (2007 legislation) to provide a process to apply for a forest conversion application for another use.

     4. WAC 222-16-080 Critical habitats (state) of threatened and endangered species. The board may consider rule making to amend WAC 222-16-080 to clarify which wildlife plans are required to be reviewed under the State Environmental Policy Act and modify the critical habitat definition for gray wolf based on the recommendation in the Washington department of fish and wildlife's wolf conservation and management plan.

     Contact Person: Patricia Anderson, FPB Rules Coordinator, Department of Natural Resources, Forest Practices Division, P.O. Box 47012, Olympia, WA 98504-7012, phone (360) 902-1413, fax (360) 902-1428, e-mail patricia.anderson@dnr.wa.gov.