Subject of Possible Rule Making: Amend TITLE 222 WAC relating to the adaptive management program and harvest of forest biomass.

     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: This rule making will incorporate recommendations to reform the adaptive management program resulting from the 2012 settlement agreement regarding the forest practices habitat conservation plan. In addition, recommendations will be incorporated from the forest practices biomass working group that will include a definition and clarify the harvest of forest biomass.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

     Process for Developing New Rule: The board will coordinate with forests and fish policy on the adaptive management program rule making and seek agreement from the department of ecology to incorporate necessary changes from the settlement agreement.

     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.

February 25, 2013

Aaron Everett

Chair