ARTICLE 7. Timber Harvesting [4581. - 4592.5.]

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 7.
in effect

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4581. Section 4581.

No person shall conduct timber operations unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester has been submitted for such operations to the department pursuant to this article. Such plan shall be required in addition to the license required in Section 4571.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582. Section 4582.

The timber harvesting plan shall be filed with the department in writing by a person who owns, leases, or otherwise controls or operates on all or any portion of any timberland and who plans to harvest the timber on the timberland. If the person who files the timber harvesting plan is not the owner of the timberland, the person filing the plan shall notify the timberland owner by certified mail that the plan has been submitted and shall certify that mailing to the department. The timber harvesting plan shall be a public record and shall include all of the following information: (a) The name and address of the timber owner. (b) The name and address of the timber operator if known at the time of filing. If the timber operator is not known at the time of filing, the plan submitter shall notify the department as soon as the timber operator is known, but in any case before timber operations begin. (c) A description of the land on which the work is proposed to be done, including a United States Geological Survey quadrangle map or equivalent indicating the location of all streams, the location of all proposed and existing logging truck roads, and indicating boundaries of all site I classification timberlands to be stocked in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 4561 and any other site classifications if the board establishes specific minimum stocking standards for other site classifications. (d) A description of the silvicultural methods to be applied, including the type of logging equipment to be used. (e) An outline of the methods to be used to avoid excessive accelerated erosion from timber operations to be conducted within the proximity of a stream. (f) Special provisions, if any, to protect any unique area within the area of timber operations. (g) The expected dates of commencement and completion of timber operations. (h) A certification by the registered professional forester preparing the plan that the registered professional forester or a designee has personally inspected the plan area. (i) Any other information the board provides by regulation to meet its rules and the standards of this chapter.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.3. Section 4582.3.

The board shall, on or before May 1, 1985, adopt regulations regarding notice of intent to harvest timber, to be given within two working days following submission of a timber harvesting plan, which it determines to be appropriate and which are consistent with law and Horn v. County of Ventura, 24 Cal. 3d 605. In adopting the regulations, the board shall take account of the extent of the administrative burden involved in giving the notice. The method of notice shall include, but not be limited to, mailed notice. The regulations may require the person submitting the timber harvesting plan to provide to the department a list of the names and addresses of persons to whom the notice was mailed and a written declaration that the mailing has been completed.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.5. Section 4582.5.

Timber harvesting plans shall be applicable to a specific piece of property or properties and shall be based upon such characteristics of the property as vegetation type, soil stability, topography, geology, climate, and stream characteristics.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.6. Section 4582.6.

(a) Upon receipt of the timber harvesting plan, the department shall place it, or a true copy of the plan, in a file available for public inspection in the county in which timber operations are proposed under the plan, and, for the purpose of interdisciplinary review, shall transmit a copy to the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the appropriate California regional water quality control board, the county planning agency, and, if the area is within its jurisdiction, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, as the case may be. The department shall invite, consider, and respond in writing to comments received from public agencies to which the plan has been transmitted and shall consult with those agencies at their request. (b) Within the public comment period, any responsible agency, as defined in Section 21069, shall provide the department with specific comments or recommendations, or both, on any significant environmental issues and proposed mitigation measures raised by the timber harvesting plan. The responsible agency shall also identify its statutory authority for any requests for mitigation measures that it may determine to be necessary. If the responsible agency fails to respond by the end of the public comment period, the department may assume that the responsible agency has no comments or recommendations concerning the timber harvesting plan, but the failure of the responsible agency to make comments or recommendations shall not be used as the basis for a determination or presumption that the timber harvesting plan will have no significant effect on the environment. The department shall consider all comments and recommendations received from responsible agencies and from the public during the public comment period. If a responsible agency fails to respond within the public comment period, it may request additional time to respond. The director may grant an extension of the time to respond of up to 14 calendar days if the director determines, after consultation with the person submitting the timber harvesting plan, that an extension is necessary. (c) To ensure that all public comments and concerns are considered by the department, each responsible agency shall maintain a list of written information it disseminates on the timber harvesting plan under review prior to the close of the public comment period. (d) On and after July 1, 1983, the board of supervisors or planning commission of a county for which rules have been adopted pursuant to Section 4516.5 may request a public hearing on a timber harvesting plan submitted for lands within the county, and the department shall hold a hearing for the purpose of public comment, if requested, prior to taking any action on the timber harvesting plan pursuant to Section 4582.7. The hearing shall be held in the county in which the proposed harvest is located at a time and place convenient to the public. The hearing shall be held in county offices if made available by the county for that purpose. The chairperson of the hearing shall be a representative of the department, shall receive both oral and written testimony from members of the public, local government officials, persons submitting the plans, and others, and shall provide for the hearing to be electronically recorded. The department shall prepare and make available written responses to significant issues raised at the hearing. This subdivision does not extend the time within which an action is required to be taken pursuant to Section 4582.7.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.7. Section 4582.7.

(a) The director shall have 30 days from the date that the initial inspection is completed (10 of these days shall follow the date of final interagency review) or, if the director determines that the inspection need not be made, 15 days from the date of filing, as specified in Section 4604, or a longer period mutually agreed upon by the director and the person submitting the timber harvesting plan, to review the plan and take public comments. After the final review and public comment period has ended, the director shall have up to 15 working days, or a longer period mutually agreed upon by the director and the person submitting the timber harvesting plan, to review the public input, to consider recommendations and mitigation measures of other agencies, to respond in writing to the issues raised, and to determine if the plan is in conformance with the rules and regulations of the board and with this chapter. (b) If the director determines that the timber harvesting plan is not in conformance with the rules and regulations of the board or with this chapter, the director shall return the plan, stating the director’s reasons in writing, and advising the person submitting the plan of the person’s right to a hearing before the board, and timber operations may not commence. (c) A person to whom a timber harvesting plan is returned may, within 10 days from the date of receipt of the plan, request of the board a public hearing before the board. The board shall schedule a public hearing to review the timber harvesting plan to determine if the plan is in conformance with the rules and regulations of the board and with this chapter. Timber operations shall await board approval of the timber harvesting plan. Board action shall occur within 30 days from the date of the filing of the appeal, or a longer period mutually agreed upon by the board and the person filing the appeal. (d) If the timber harvesting plan is not approved on appeal to the board, the plan may be found to be in conformance by the director within 10 days from the date of the board action, provided that the plan is brought into full conformance with the rules and regulations of the board and with this chapter. If the director does not act within 25 days or a longer period mutually agreed upon by the director and the person submitting the timber harvesting plan, timber operations may commence pursuant to the plan, and all provisions of the plan shall be followed as provided in this chapter. (e) Upon the request of a responsible agency, the director shall consult with that agency, pursuant to this chapter, but the director, or the director’s designee within the department, shall have the final authority to determine whether a timber harvesting plan is in conformance with the rules and regulations of the board and with this chapter for purposes of approval by the department.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.8. Section 4582.8.

Within 10 days from the date that a timber harvesting plan is determined to be in conformance under Section 4582.7, or within 10 days from the date of receipt of a notice of timber operations, a nonindustrial timber harvest notice, a notice of exemption to convert less than three acres to a nontimber use pursuant to Section 4584, or an emergency notice filed pursuant to Section 4592, the director shall transmit copies thereof to the State Board of Equalization. Any notice of exemption or notice of emergency transmitted to the State Board of Equalization pursuant to this section shall include, among other things, an estimate of the timber owner as to whether the timber to be harvested pursuant to the notice will or will not be exempt from timber yield tax pursuant to Section 38116 of the Revenue and Taxation Code as interpreted and implemented by the State Board of Equalization.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.9. Section 4582.9.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Director of Fish and Game or the State Water Resources Control Board may, not later than 10 days after approval of a plan by the director, appeal the approval to the board. At the time of filing of an appeal with the board, the person shall notify the director and the plan submitter of the appeal, and no further timber operations shall occur under the plan until the final determination of the appeal by the board. (b) The Director of Fish and Game or the State Water Resources Control Board may appeal the approval of a plan by the director only if the Department of Fish and Game or the State Water Resources Control Board or a California regional water quality control board has (1) participated in an onsite inspection of the plan with the department and (2) participated in a multidisciplinary review of the plan. The board may establish procedures for filing an appeal and may, in order to demonstrate that a substantial issue is raised with respect to the environment or public safety, specify findings which are required to be made in filing an appeal. (c) The board shall grant a hearing if it determines that the appeal under this section raises substantial issues with respect to the environment or to public safety. The board, by regulation, may delegate this determination to its chairperson. (d) The board shall hold a public hearing within 30 days after the filing of an appeal, or a longer period mutually agreed upon by the board, the appellant, and the plan submitter. Witnesses may appear either at the request of a party having standing or at a request of a majority of the board or board committee holding the hearing. Within 10 days after the conclusion of the hearing, the board shall approve or deny the plan. The basis for the board’s decision shall be all applicable provisions of California law, including, but not limited to, the California Timberland Productivity Act of 1982 (Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 51100) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the Government Code) and subdivision (d) of Section 4512. In denying a plan, the board may make findings that set forth conditions under which it believes the plan would have been approved. The board may delegate conduct of the hearing and the decision to a committee of three members to be appointed for that hearing by the chairperson of the board. The committee shall consist of one general public member, one industry member, and the chairperson or the chairperson’s designee. The chairperson of the board or the chairperson’s designee shall conduct the hearing. The decision of the committee shall have the full force of a decision of the full board. At any time prior to a decision on an appeal conducted by a committee, any member of the committee may file a declaration of importance with the executive officer of the board and that appeal shall be immediately transferred to the full board for decision.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.71. Section 4582.71.

(a) A timber harvesting plan may not be approved if the appropriate regional water quality control board finds, based on substantial evidence, that the timber operations proposed in the plan will result in a discharge into a watercourse that has been classified as impaired due to sediment pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 303 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, that causes or contributes, to a violation of the regional water quality control plan. (b) The exercise of a regional water quality control board’s authority pursuant to subdivision (a) may be delegated to the executive officer of that regional water quality control board as long as the executive officer’s determination is subject to review by that regional water quality control board upon request of the person that has submitted the timber harvesting plan or upon motion of that regional water quality control board. (c) If the appropriate regional water quality control board makes a finding pursuant to subdivision (a), the executive officer of that regional water quality control board shall, before the close of the public comment period under Section 4582.7, notify the director in writing of the finding and advise the director that the plan may not be approved. If the issues that lead to a regional water quality control board’s finding pursuant to subdivision (a) cannot be resolved during the director’s determination period under Section 4582.7 or a longer period that is mutually agreeable to the director and the person that submitted the timber harvesting plan, the director shall deny the timber harvesting plan and return the plan to the person that submitted it. The director shall advise the person that submitted the timber harvesting plan of the reasons why the plan is being returned.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4582.75. Section 4582.75.

The rules adopted by the board and the provisions of this chapter shall be the only criteria employed by the director when reviewing timber harvesting plans pursuant to Section 4582.7.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4583. Section 4583.

A timber harvesting plan shall conform to all standards and rules which are in effect at the time the plan becomes effective. Except for stocking standards in effect at the time of commencement of timber operations under a timber harvesting plan, which shall remain in effect for any timberland harvested under such plan, all timber operations shall conform to any changes or modifications of standards and rules made thereafter unless prior to the adoption of such changes or modifications, substantial liabilities for timber operations have been incurred in good faith and in reliance upon the standards in effect at the time the plan became effective and the adherence to such new rules or modifications would cause unreasonable additional expense to the owner or operator.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4583.2. Section 4583.2.

The registered professional forester who prepared the timber harvesting plan and or any other registered professional forester who is employed by the owner or operator, shall report to the owner and operator if there are deviations of any sort from the plan that in the forester’s judgment threaten the attainment of the resource conservation standards or other regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4583.5. Section 4583.5.

If the board finds that the registered professional forester has made a material misstatement in the filing of a timber harvesting plan or report pursuant to this chapter, it shall take disciplinary action against the forester as provided under Section 775.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4584. Section 4584.

Upon determining that this exemption is consistent with the purposes of this chapter, the board may exempt from this chapter, or portions of this chapter, a person engaged in forest management whose activities are limited to any of the following: (a) The cutting or removal of trees for the purpose of constructing or maintaining a right-of-way for utility lines. (b) The planting, growing, nurturing, shaping, shearing, removal, or harvest of immature trees for Christmas trees or other ornamental purposes or minor forest products, including fuelwood. (c) The cutting or removal of dead, dying, or diseased trees of any size. (d) Site preparation. (e) Maintenance of drainage facilities and soil stabilization treatments. (f) Timber operations on land managed by the Department of Parks and Recreation. (g) (1) The one-time conversion of less than three acres to a nontimber use. A person, whether acting as an individual, as a member of a partnership, or as an officer or employee of a corporation or other legal entity, shall not obtain more than one exemption pursuant to this subdivision in a five-year period. If a partnership has as a member, or if a corporation or other legal entity has as an officer or employee, a person who has received this exemption within the past five years, whether as an individual, as a member of a partnership, or as an officer or employee of a corporation or other legal entity, then that partnership, corporation, or other legal entity is not eligible for this exemption. “Person,” for purposes of this subdivision, means an individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity. (2) (A) Notwithstanding Section 4554.5, the board shall adopt regulations that do all of the following: (i) Identify the required documentation of a bona fide intent to complete the conversion that an applicant will need to submit in order to be eligible for the exemption in paragraph (1). (ii) Authorize the department to inspect the sites approved in conversion applications that have been approved on or after January 1, 2002, in order to determine that the conversion was completed within the two-year period described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1104.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (iii) Require the exemption pursuant to this subdivision to expire if there is a change in timberland ownership. The person who originally submitted an application for an exemption pursuant to this subdivision shall notify the department of a change in timberland ownership on or before five calendar days after a change in ownership. (iv) The board may adopt regulations allowing a waiver of the five-year limitation described in paragraph (1) upon finding that the imposition of the five-year limitation would impose an undue hardship on the applicant for the exemption. The board may adopt a process for an appeal of a denial of a waiver. (v) The board may adopt regulations allowing a waiver of the one-time limitation described in paragraph (1) upon finding that the imposition of the one-time limitation would impose an undue hardship on the applicant. The board may adopt a process for an appeal of a denial of a waiver. (B) The application form for the exemption pursuant to paragraph (1) shall prominently advise the public that a violation of the conversion exemption, including a conversion applied for in the name of someone other than the person or entity implementing the conversion in bona fide good faith, is a violation of this chapter and penalties may accrue up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601). (h) An easement granted by a right-of-way construction agreement administered by the federal government if timber sales and operations within or affecting the area are reviewed and conducted pursuant to the federal National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 4321 et seq.). (i) (1) The cutting or removal of trees in compliance with Sections 4290 and 4291 that eliminates the vertical continuity of vegetative fuels and the horizontal continuity of tree crowns for the purpose of reducing flammable materials and maintaining a fuel break for a distance of not more than 150 feet on each side from an approved and legally permitted structure that complies with the California Building Standards Code, when that cutting or removal is conducted in compliance with this subdivision. For purposes of this subdivision, an “approved and legally permitted structure” includes only structures that are designed for human occupancy, garages, barns, stables, and structures used to enclose fuel tanks. (2) (A) The cutting or removal of trees pursuant to this subdivision is limited to cutting or removal that will result in a reduction in the rate of fire spread, fire duration and intensity, fuel ignitability, or ignition of the tree crowns and shall be in accordance with any regulations adopted by the board pursuant to this section. (B) Trees shall not be cut or removed pursuant to this subdivision by the clearcutting regeneration method, by the seed tree removal step of the seed tree regeneration method, or by the shelterwood removal step of the shelterwood regeneration method. (3) (A) All fuel treatments conducted pursuant to this subdivision that do not comply with board rules and regulations may be determined to be a nuisance and subject to abatement by the department or the city or county having jurisdiction. (B) The costs incurred by the department, city, or county, as the case may be, to abate the nuisance upon a parcel of land subject to the timber operations, including, but not limited to, investigation, boundary determination, measurement, and other related costs, may be recovered by special assessment and lien against the parcel of land by the department, city, or county. The assessment may be collected at the same time and in the same manner as ordinary ad valorem taxes, and shall be subject to the same penalties and the same procedure and sale in case of delinquency as is provided for ad valorem taxes. (4) All timber operations conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall conform to applicable city or county general plans, city or county implementing ordinances, and city or county zoning ordinances. This paragraph does not authorize the cutting, removal, or sale of timber or other solid wood forest products within an area where timber harvesting is prohibited or otherwise restricted pursuant to the rules or regulations adopted by the board. (5) (A) The board shall adopt regulations, initially as emergency regulations in accordance with subparagraph (B), that the board considers necessary to implement and to obtain compliance with this subdivision. (B) The emergency regulations adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The adoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, or general welfare. (j) (1) (A) The harvesting of trees, limited to those trees that eliminate the vertical continuity of vegetative fuels and the horizontal continuity of tree crowns, for the purpose of reducing the rate of fire spread, duration and intensity, fuel ignitability, or ignition of tree crowns. An exemption pursuant to this paragraph shall be known as the Forest Resilience Exemption. (B) The board may authorize an exemption pursuant to subparagraph (A) only if the tree harvesting will decrease fuel continuity and increase the quadratic mean diameter of the stand, and the tree harvesting area will not exceed 500 acres. Increases in quadratic mean diameter shall only consider trees greater than eight inches in diameter at breast height. The notice of exemption may be authorized only if all of the conditions specified in subparagraphs (C) to (I), inclusive, are met. (C) A registered professional forester shall prepare the notice of exemption and submit it to the director. (D) (i) The submitted notice of exemption shall include a description of the preharvest stand structure and a statement of the postharvest stand stocking levels and the expected postharvest increase in quadratic mean diameter. (ii) The level of residual stocking shall be consistent with maximum sustained production of high-quality timber products. The residual stand shall consist primarily of healthy and vigorous dominant and codominant trees from the preharvest stand. Stocking shall not be reduced below the standards required by the following provisions that apply to the exemption at issue: (I) Clauses 1 to 4, inclusive, of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Sections 913.3, 933.3, and 953.3 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, or clauses 1 to 4, inclusive, of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Sections 913.2, 933.2, and 953.2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (II) The registered professional forester responsible for preparing the notice of exemption shall identify the designated postharvest stocking within the notice of exemption. The selected stocking shall be applicable to, and consistent with, silviculture that would apply to the preharvest stand condition provided pursuant to clause (i). (III) Additional information on preharvest stand conditions, including, but not limited to, stand ages, stand structure, past management activities, and landowner goals and objectives shall also be provided by the registered professional forester preparing and submitting the exemption that substantiates the selection of postharvest stocking. (iii) Within the coast district, if the preharvest dominant and codominant crown canopy is occupied by trees less than 14 inches in diameter at breast height, a minimum of 100 trees over 4 inches in diameter at breast height shall be retained per acre for Site I, II, and III lands, and a minimum of 75 trees over 4 inches in diameter at breast height shall be retained per acre for Site IV and V lands. (iv) Within the northern district and southern district, if the preharvest dominant and codominant crown canopy is occupied by trees less than 14 inches in diameter at breast height, a minimum of 65 trees per acre over 4 inches in diameter at breast height shall be retained. (v) All trees that are harvested or all trees that are retained shall be marked or sample marked by, or under the supervision of, a registered professional forester before felling operations begin. The board shall adopt regulations for sample marking for this section in Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. Sample marking shall be limited to homogenous forest stand conditions typical of plantations. (vi) The board may adopt specific regulations for the removal of dead and dying trees in amounts less than 10 percent of the average volume per acre for trees up to 36 inches in diameter at breast height. Regulations adopted by the board shall consider safety, fuel hazard abatement, mortality capture, the adequacy and retention of wildlife trees, especially those trees over 30 inches in diameter at breast height, and standards of enforceability for the department. All trees over 30 inches in diameter at breast height that are harvested pursuant to this paragraph shall be marked by, or under the supervision of, a registered professional forester before felling. The registered professional forester shall consult with the director before felling any dead or dying trees in excess of 30 inches in diameter at breast height. (vii) All trees harvested pursuant to this paragraph shall be marked by, or under the supervision of, a registered professional forester before felling operations begin. (viii) The six largest trees per acre within the boundaries of a notice of exemption submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall not be harvested. (ix) No trees of the genus Quercus that are greater than 22 inches in diameter at breast height shall be harvested under a notice of exemption submitted pursuant to this subdivision, except for those trees that need to be removed to mitigate safety. (x) The postharvest composition of tree species shall be representative of the preharvest stand condition and demonstrate progression towards climax forest conditions, unless the registered professional forester provides information explaining how modification of species diversity will benefit forest health and resiliency. (E) (i) The board shall adopt regulations for the treatment of understory vegetation and standing dead fuels, canopy closure, clearance to base of live crown, or ladder fuels, that could promote the spread of wildfire. (ii) Slash and woody debris within 50 feet of a public road or critical infrastructure, as defined by the board, shall be chipped, burned, or removed. (iii) The standards required by clauses (i) and (ii) shall be achieved on approximately 80 percent of the treated area. (F) Before the submission of a notice of exemption to the department, the registered professional forester responsible for submitting the notice shall designate temporary road locations, landing locations, tractor road crossings of Class III watercourses, unstable areas, or connected headwall swales on the ground and map their locations. (G) The construction or reconstruction of temporary roads on slopes of 30 percent or less shall be allowed if all of the following conditions are met: (i) Temporary roads or landings shall not be located on unstable areas, as defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (ii) Temporary roads shall be single-lane in width. (iii) Temporary roads shall not be located across a connected headwall swale, as defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (iv) Construction or reconstruction of temporary roads, landings, or watercourse crossings shall not occur during the winter operating period. Pursuant to subdivision (g) of Sections 923.6, 943.6, and 963.6, as applicable, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, roads and landings used for log hauling or other heavy equipment uses during the winter period shall occur on a stable operating surface and, where necessary, be surfaced with rock to a depth and quantity sufficient to maintain the stable operating surface. Use shall be prohibited on roads that are not hydrologically disconnected and exhibit saturated soil conditions. Timber operations during the winter period shall comply with paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (c) of Sections 914.7, 934.7, and 954.7, as applicable, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (v) Use of temporary roads shall comply with the operational provisions of Article 12 (commencing with Section 923) of Subchapter 4 of Chapter 4 of Division 1.5 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, and recognize guidance on hydrologic disconnection in Technical Rule Addendum Number 5. (vi) No logging road or landings construction or reconstruction activities of any kind shall occur within 200 feet of Class I and Class II watercourses or within 50 feet of a Class III watercourse. (vii) The landowner shall retain a registered professional forester who is available to provide professional advice to the licensed timber operator and timberland owner throughout the active timber operations. The name, address, telephone number, and registration number of the retained registered professional forester shall be provided on the submitted notice of exemption. This professional advice shall include overseeing the construction or reconstruction of any temporary roads or landings and advising on necessary mitigation to avoid potential impacts to associated watershed and forest resources. The registered professional forester shall also comply with Section 1035.2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, relating to interaction between the licensed timber operator and the registered professional forester. (viii) The registered professional forester responsible for submitting the notice of exemption shall affirm that the construction or reconstruction of each temporary road is necessary to provide access to harvest areas where no feasible alternative exists. The submitted notice of exemption shall include the number and cumulative length of temporary roads that will be constructed or reconstructed. (ix) (I) Temporary road construction or reconstruction shall be limited to no more than two miles of road per ownership in a planning watershed per any five-year period. (II) For each exemption affecting less than 40 acres, all temporary roads constructed or reconstructed under this exemption shall not exceed a cumulative length of 300 feet. (III) For each exemption affecting between 40 and 80 acres, all temporary roads constructed or reconstructed under this exemption shall not exceed a cumulative length of between 300 and 600 feet, as determined on a pro rata basis by the total acreage affected by the exemption. (IV) For each exemption affecting over 80 acres, all temporary roads constructed or reconstructed under the exemption shall not exceed a cumulative length of 600 feet. The submitted notice of exemption shall list the number of acres affected and the cumulative length of the road in feet. (V) Temporary roads constructed or reconstructed under this exemption shall not be connected to other temporary roads constructed under previous or subsequent exemptions filed under this paragraph. (VI) All temporary roads shall be abandoned using proactive measures that have been applied to effectively remove them from the permanent road network, in accordance with the definition of abandoned road as defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (VII) This paragraph shall not be interpreted to permit road construction or reconstruction except as authorized under the Forest Resilience Exemption, pursuant to this subparagraph. (VIII) No trees larger than 30 inches in diameter at breast height shall be removed for the purposes of road construction or reconstruction under a notice of exemption submitted pursuant to this subdivision. (H) Only trees less than 30 inches in diameter at breast height may be removed. The board, in consultation with the department, shall develop clearly written guidance documents on inspection and enforceability standards relating to standards set forth in this paragraph. (I) All timber operations conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall only occur within the most recent version of the department’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map in the moderate, high, and very high fire threat zones. (J) If pesticides or herbicides will be used within the boundaries of an area covered by a notice of exemption pursuant to this subparagraph within one year of director acceptance, the timberland owner shall notify the appropriate regional water quality control board 10 days before application of any pesticides or herbicides. (K) After the timber operations are complete, the department shall conduct an onsite inspection to determine compliance with this subdivision and whether appropriate enforcement action should be initiated. The department shall notify the appropriate regional water quality control board, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Geological Survey seven days prior to conducting the onsite inspection. The regional water quality control board, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Geological Survey may conduct an inspection with the department. (2) (A) The board shall adopt regulations, initially as emergency regulations in accordance with subparagraph (B), that the board considers necessary to implement and to obtain compliance with this subdivision. (B) The emergency regulations adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The adoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, or general welfare. (3) This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031. (k) (1) The cutting or removal of trees to restore and conserve California black or Oregon white oak woodlands and associated grasslands, if all of the following requirements are met: (A) A registered professional forester shall prepare the notice of exemption and submit it to the director. The notice shall include both of the following: (i) A certification signed by the registered professional forester that the timber operation is designed to restore and conserve California black and Oregon white oak woodlands and associated grasslands encroached upon by conifers and that a minimum of 35 square feet of basal area per acre, or as determined by the board, of California black or Oregon white oak, or both, occupy the proposed treatment area at the time the notice is prepared. (ii) A description of the preharvest stand structure and a statement of the postharvest stand stocking levels. (B) No tree larger than 30 inches in diameter at breast height shall be harvested for commercial purposes. If necessary to achieve the oak woodland restoration goal of the exemption, trees larger than 30 inches in diameter at breast height may be harvested. The registered professional forester shall provide information on the need to remove these trees, and consult with the director before felling any tree in excess of 30 inches in diameter at breast height. (C) Only conifers within 300 feet of a California black or Oregon white oak may be harvested. (D) The total area exempted pursuant to this subdivision shall not exceed 300 acres per ownership in a planning watershed per five-year period. (E) Conifer shall be reduced to less than 25 percent of the combined hardwood and conifer postharvest stand stocking levels. Decadent and deformed trees of wildlife value that are retained shall not count toward basal area requirements. (F) No more than 20 percent of the total basal area of preexisting oak stock shall be cut or removed during harvest. The board may establish minimum postharvest basal area requirements for California black or Oregon white oak. (G) Slash shall be configured to minimize the risk of fire mortality to the remaining oak trees. (2) (A) The board shall adopt regulations, initially as emergency regulations in accordance with subparagraph (B), that the board considers necessary to implement and to obtain compliance with this subdivision. (B) The emergency regulations adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). The adoption of emergency regulations shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, or general welfare. (l) (1) The board may exempt from this chapter, or portions of this chapter, a person engaged in forest management whose activities are limited to the cutting or removal of trees on the person’s property in compliance with Sections 4290 and 4291 that eliminates the vertical continuity of vegetative fuels and the horizontal continuity of tree crowns for the purpose of reducing flammable materials and maintaining a fuel break for a distance of not more than 300 feet on each side from an approved and legally permitted habitable structure, when that cutting or removal is conducted in compliance with this subdivision and all of the following conditions are met: (A) The notice of exemption is prepared, signed, and submitted by a registered professional forester to the department. (B) For the areas between 150 and 300 feet from the habitable structure, the operations meet all of the following provisions: (i) The residual stocking standards are consistent with Sections 913.2, 933.2, and 953.2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as appropriate. (ii) Activities within this area will increase the quadratic mean diameter of the stand. (iii) The residual stand consists primarily of healthy and vigorous dominant and codominant trees from the preharvest stand, well distributed throughout the harvested area. (iv) Postharvest slash treatment and stand conditions will lead to more moderate fire behavior in the professional judgment of the registered professional forester who submits the notice of exemption. (v) Any additional guidance for slash treatment and postharvest stand conditions and any other issues deemed necessary that are consistent with this section, as established by the board. (2) For purposes of this subdivision, “habitable structure” means a building that contains one or more dwelling units or that can be occupied for residential use. Buildings occupied for residential use include single-family homes, multidwelling structures, mobile and manufactured homes, and condominiums. For purposes of this subdivision, “habitable structure” does not include commercial, industrial, or incidental buildings such as detached garages, barns, outdoor sanitation facilities, and sheds. (3) This subdivision shall become inoperative on January 1, 2031.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4584.1. Section 4584.1.

Rules and regulations adopted by the board pursuant to Section 4584, except subdivision (k) of Section 4584, shall comply with the following standards, as determined appropriate and necessary by the board: (a) Notices of exemption that are prepared and submitted to the director shall include a map of the area of operations that complies with the requirements of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4), subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E) of paragraph (5), paragraphs (7) to (12), inclusive, and paragraph (14) of subdivision (x) of Section 1034 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (b) Notices of exemption that are prepared and submitted to the director shall provide a confidential archaeological letter that includes all the information required by paragraphs (2) and (7) to (11), inclusive, of subdivision (c) of Sections 929.1, 949.1 and 969.1, as applicable, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, and site records if required pursuant to subdivision (g) of that section or pursuant to Section 929.5 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. This subdivision shall not apply to activities described in subdivision (i) or (m) of Section 4584. (c) All fuel treatments required by the board shall be completed within one year from the date the director receives the notice, with the exception of burning. This shall include treatment of surface fuels, wood debris, and slash, which shall be lopped, removed, chipped, piled for burning, or otherwise treated. Burning shall be completed within two years from the date the director receives the notice of exemption. (d) Slash and woody debris shall be treated to achieve a maximum postharvest depth of 18 inches above the ground except within 150 feet from any point of an approved and legally permitted structure that complies with the California Building Code. Surface fuels, slash, and woody debris within 150 feet from any point of an approved and legally permitted structure that complies with the California Building Code shall be chipped, piled, and burned, or removed. (e) Timber operations shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (10), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 1038 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (f) All timber operations conducted in Lake Tahoe Region shall have a valid Tahoe Basin Tree Removal Permit, as defined by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), or shall be conducted under a valid TRPA Memorandum of Understanding, when such a permit is required by TRPA. (g) The submitted notice of exemption shall include selection criteria for the trees to be harvested or the trees to be retained. (h) The department shall provide the appropriate regional water quality control board, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Geological Survey with copies of notices of exemption when they are submitted. (i) The submitted notice of exemption shall include the tentative commencement date of timber operations. (j) Within a 15-day period, the registered professional forester or person responsible for the submittal of the notice of exemption shall notify the department, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the appropriate regional water quality control board, and the California Geological Survey of the actual date of commencement of timber operations. (k) Timber operations pursuant to an exemption may not commence for 10 working days from the date of the director’s receipt of the notice of exemption unless this delay is waived by the director. The director shall determine whether the notice of exemption is complete, and if so, shall send a copy of a notice of acceptance to the submitter. If the notice of exemption is not complete and accurate, it shall be returned to the submitter and the timber operator may not proceed. If the director does not act within 10 days of receipt of the notice of exemption, timber operations may commence. (l) (1) No large old trees, defined as a tree that existed before 1800 AD or is greater than 60 inches in diameter at stump height for Sierra or Coast Redwoods, and 48 inches in diameter at stump height for all other tree species or Decadent and Deformed Trees with Value to Wildlife, as defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, shall be harvested unless the following apply: (A) The tree is not critical for the maintenance of a Late Successional Stand. (B) A registered professional forester attached to the submitted notice of exemption a written explanation and justification for the harvest of the tree based on the registered professional forester’s finding of any of the following: (i) The tree is a hazard to safety or property. (ii) The removal of the tree is necessary for the construction of a building as approved by the appropriate local jurisdiction and shown on the county or city approved site plan, which shall be attached to the submitted notice of exemption. (iii) The tree is dead or likely to die within one year of the date of the proposed removal, as determined by a registered professional forester. (2) A registered professional forester-written explanation or justification need not be attached to the submitted notice of exemption if an approved Habitat Conservation Plan, Sustained Yield Plan, or plan, as that term is defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations addresses large old tree retention for the area in which the large old tree is proposed for removal and the removal is in compliance with the retention standards of that document. (3) Any tree harvested pursuant to this subdivision shall be shown on a map provided with the submitted notice of exemption to the department. (4) This subdivision shall not apply to or be used in conjunction with the Forest Resilience Exemption created pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 4584. (m) Helicopter yarding shall be prohibited. (n) All applicable provisions of the Professional Foresters Law, including, but not limited to, Sections 775 to 779, inclusive, of this code, as well as all applicable provisions of Registration of Professional Forester Rules, including, but not limited to, Sections 1612 to 1614, inclusive, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, shall apply to the practice of professional forestry as it relates to this section.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4584.2. Section 4584.2.

Rules and regulations adopted by the board pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 4584, shall comply with the following standards: (a) Notices of exemption that are prepared and submitted to the director shall include a map of the area of operations that complies with the requirements of paragraphs (1), (3), and (4), subparagraphs (A), (B), (D), and (E) of paragraph (5), paragraphs (7) to (12), inclusive, and paragraph (14) of subdivision (x) of Section 1034 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (b) Notices of exemption that are prepared and submitted to the director shall provide a confidential archaeological letter that includes all the information required by paragraphs (2) and (7) to (11), inclusive, of subdivision (c) of Sections 929.1, 949.1 and 969.1, as applicable, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, and site records if required pursuant to subdivision (g) of that section or pursuant to Section 929.5 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (c) All fuel treatments required by the board shall be completed within one year from the date the director receives the notice, with the exception of burning. This shall include treatment of surface fuels, wood debris, and slash, which shall be lopped, removed, chipped, piled for burning, or otherwise treated. Burning shall be completed within two years from the date the director receives the notice of exemption. (d) Slash and woody debris shall be treated to achieve a maximum postharvest depth of 18 inches above the ground except within 150 feet from any point of an approved and legally permitted structure that complies with the California Building Code. Surface fuels, slash, and woody debris within 150 feet from any point of an approved and legally permitted structure that complies with the California Building Code shall be chipped, burned, or removed. (e) Timber operations shall comply with the requirements of paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, and (6) to (10), inclusive, of subdivision (b) of Section 1038 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (f) All timber operations conducted in Lake Tahoe Region must have a valid Tahoe Basin Tree Removal Permit, as defined by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), or shall be conducted under a valid TRPA Memorandum of Understanding, when such a permit is required by TRPA. (g) The submitted notice of exemption shall include selection criteria for the trees to be harvested or the trees to be retained. (h) The department shall provide the appropriate regional water quality control board, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Geological Survey with copies of notices of exemption when they are submitted. (i) The submitted notice of exemption shall include the tentative commencement date of timber operations. (j) Within a 15-day period, the registered professional forester responsible for the submittal of the notice of exemption shall notify the department, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the appropriate regional water quality control board, and the California Geological Survey of the actual date of commencement of timber operations. (k) Operations pursuant to an exemption may not commence for 10 working days from the date of the director’s receipt of the notice of exemption unless this delay is waived by the director. The director shall determine whether the notice of exemption is complete, and if so, shall send a copy of a notice of acceptance to the submitter. If the notice of exemption is not complete and accurate, it shall be returned to the submitter and the timber operator may not proceed. If the director does not act within five days of receipt of the notice of exemption, timber operations may commence. (l) (1) No Decadent and Deformed Trees with Value to Wildlife, as defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, shall be harvested unless all the following apply: (A) The tree is not critical for the maintenance of a Late Successional Stand. (B) A registered professional forester attached to the submitted notice of exemption a written explanation and justification for the harvest of the tree based on the registered professional forester’s finding of any of the following: (i) The tree is a hazard to safety or property. (ii) The removal of the tree is necessary for the construction of a building as approved by the appropriate local jurisdiction and shown on the county or city approved site plan which shall be attached to the submitted notice of exemption. (iii) The tree is dead or likely to die within one year of the date of the proposed removal, as determined by a registered professional forester. (2) A registered professional forester’s written explanation or justification need not be attached to the submitted notice of exemption if an approved Habitat Conservation Plan, Sustained Yield Plan, or plan as that term is defined in Section 895.1 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations addresses large old tree retention for the area in which the large old tree is proposed for removal and the removal is in compliance with the retention standards of that document. (3) Any tree harvested pursuant to this subdivision shall be shown on a map provided with the submitted notice of exemption to the department. (4) This subdivision shall not apply to or be used in conjunction with the Forest Resilience Exemption created pursuant to subdivision (j) of Section 4584. (m) Helicopter yarding shall be prohibited. (n) All applicable provisions of the Professional Foresters Law, including, but not limited to, Sections 775 to 779, inclusive, of this code, as well as all applicable provisions of Registration of Professional Forester Rules, including, but not limited to, Sections 1612 to 1614, inclusive, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations apply to the practice of professional forestry as it relates to this section.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4584.5. Section 4584.5.

Nothing in Section 4584 shall exempt the owner of any timber harvested from registering with the State Board of Equalization or from the payment of any applicable timber yield taxes imposed pursuant to Section 38115 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4585. Section 4585.

(a) Within one month after completion of the work described in the timber harvesting plan or nonindustrial timber harvest notice, excluding work for stocking, site preparation, or maintenance of drainage facilities and soil stabilization treatments on skid trails, roads, and landings after the plan period, a report shall be filed by the timber owner or the owner’s agent with the department that all work, except stocking, site preparation, or maintenance of drainage facilities and soil stabilization treatments, has been completed. (b) If all of the work described in the plan has not been completed, a report may be filed annually with respect to a portion of the area covered by the plan which has been completed. The portion completed shall be adequately identified on a map submitted with the report.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4586. Section 4586.

Within six months of the receipt of the work completion report specified in Section 4585, the director shall determine, by inspection, whether the work described in the report has been properly completed in conformity with the rules and regulations of the board and the standards of this chapter. If the work has been so completed, the director shall issue a report of satisfactory completion of the work. If not, the director shall take corrective action as the director determines to be appropriate in accordance with Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601).

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4587. Section 4587.

(a) Within five years after completion of timber operations on an area identified in a report submitted pursuant to Section 4585 or nonindustrial timber harvest notice, a report of stocking with respect to that area shall be filed by the timber owner or the owner’s agent with the department. A separate report of stocking may be filed with the work completion report for those areas which meet stocking requirements upon completion of timber operations. The board, by regulation, shall establish one or more statistically valid standardized sampling procedures designed to measure the number of trees and their dispersion. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the board shall adopt regulations which specify the conditions and manner in which the necessity of employing sampling procedures may be waived. The regulations shall provide that, in addition to any other possible conditions which may be required by the board, the standard sampling procedures may be waived only if the director or the director’s representative and the timber owner, or a registered professional forester acting as the owner’s agent, agree that the area is adequately stocked to meet the standards of this chapter and any applicable rules or regulations of the board. The regulations shall require that, if the director or the director’s representative does not agree that the area is so stocked, a standardized sample shall be required.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4588. Section 4588.

Within six months of the receipt of the stocking report, the director shall determine, by inspection, whether the stocking has been properly completed. If the stocking is properly completed, the director shall issue a report of satisfactory completion of stocking. If the stocking is not properly completed, the director shall take corrective action as the director deems appropriate in accordance with Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601) of this chapter.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4589. Section 4589.

(a) The department and board, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the State Water Resources Control Board, shall, commencing December 31, 2019, and annually thereafter, review and submit a report to the Legislature on the trends in the use of, compliance with, and effectiveness of, the exemptions and emergency notice provisions described in Sections 4584 and 4592 of this code and Sections 1038 and 1052 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. The report shall include an analysis of exemption use and whether the exemptions are having the intended effect. The report shall also include recommendations to improve the use of those exemptions and emergency notice provisions, information on the linear distance of road constructed or reconstructed under notices of exemption by individual ownerships, within a representative sample of planning watersheds from each forest practice district as defined in Sections 907 to 909, inclusive, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, and violations associated with road reconstruction. The report shall include information on the number and type of violations and enforcement actions taken on each notice of exemption and emergency notice. The report shall also contain the number of posttreatment onsite inspections that occur and whether those inspections were attended by a representative of the Department of Fish and Wildlife and a representative of the State Water Resources Control Board. The report submitted on December 31, 2025, shall include recommendations necessary for revisions to diameter limits at stump heights of harvestable trees under subdivisions (j) and (k) of Section 4584, as those subdivisions read on January 1, 2024. (b) The public shall be provided opportunities to participate in the review and the development of the report. (c) The report shall be submitted pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code. (d) (A) This section shall be operative for a period of five years after the effective date of emergency regulations as adopted by the board and as of that date is inoperative. (B) The board shall notify the Secretary of State when emergency regulations have been adopted.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4590. Section 4590.

(a) (1) A timber harvesting plan approved by the department on or after July 1, 2012, is effective for a period of not more than five years, unless extended pursuant to paragraph (2). (2) A timber harvesting plan, pursuant to which timber operations have commenced, but have not been completed, may be extended by amendment for two years in order to complete the timber operations, if both of the following conditions are met: (A) Good cause is shown. (B) All timber operations are in conformance with the timber harvesting plan, this chapter, and all applicable rules and regulations, upon the filing of the notice of extension as required by this section. (b) The extension shall apply to any area covered by the timber harvesting plan for which a report has not been submitted under Section 4585. The notice of extension shall be provided to the department not sooner than 140 days, but at least 10 days, prior to the expiration date of the timber harvesting plan. The notice shall include the circumstances that prevented a timely completion of the timber operations under the timber harvesting plan and, consistent with Section 4583, an agreement to comply with this chapter and the rules and regulations of the board as these exist on the date the extension notice is filed. (c) Stocking work may continue for more than the effective period of a timber harvesting plan under subdivision (a), but shall be completed within five years after the conclusion of other work. (d) In addition to the extension authorized by paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), a timber harvesting plan that is approved by the department from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2015, inclusive, may be extended by amendment for an additional two years in order to complete the timber operations, if the timber harvesting plan complies with subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) and the notice of extension, pursuant to subdivision (b), includes written certification by a registered professional forester that neither of the conditions in subdivision (e) has occurred. (e) The department shall not approve an extension of a timber harvesting plan pursuant to subdivision (a) or (d) if either of the following has occurred: (1) Listed species, as defined in Article 1 (commencing with Section 2050) of Chapter 1.5 of Division 3 of the Fish and Game Code or the federal Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.), have been discovered in the logging area of the timber harvesting plan since approval of the plan. (2) Significant physical changes to the harvest area or adjacent areas have occurred since the timber harvesting plan’s cumulative impacts were originally assessed. (f) An extension of a timber harvesting plan for which either of the conditions in subdivision (e) has occurred may be obtained only pursuant to Section 1039 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4591. Section 4591.

Amendments to the original timber harvesting plan may be submitted detailing proposed changes from the original plan. Substantial deviations from the original plan shall not be undertaken until the amendment has been filed with, and acted upon, by the department in accordance with Sections 4582.7 and 4583. An amendment may not extend the effective period of the plan, except as provided in Section 4590.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4591.1. Section 4591.1.

The board shall specify by regulation those deviations which may be undertaken by an operator without submission of an amended plan but which must subsequently be reported to the department, and provide for the manner of so reporting.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4592. Section 4592.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, a registered professional forester may in an emergency, on behalf of a timber owner or operator, file an “emergency notice” with the department that shall allow immediate commencement of timber operations. The emergency notice shall include a declaration, under penalty of perjury, that a bona fide emergency exists which requires immediate harvest activities, and that any applicable timber yield taxes will be paid pursuant to Section 38115 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. Those emergencies shall be defined by the board and may include, but are not limited to, the necessity to harvest to remove fire-killed or damaged timber or insect or disease-infested timber, or to undertake emergency repairs to roads.

Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4592.5. Section 4592.5.

(a) The department shall provide guidance and assistance to ensure the uniform and efficient implementation of processes and procedures regulating the filing, review, approval, required modification, and completion of timber harvesting plans, and the appeal of decisions relating to timber harvesting plans. The guidance and assistance shall comply with all of the following requirements: (1) A plan submitter has the expectation of a timely determination under Section 4582.7 and any relevant administrative regulations. (2) The department shall provide clearly written guidance documents that explain the regulatory process. In this context, the department shall publish a list of all information required in a plan, using the rules of the board, and an explanation of the criteria that will be used by the department to determine whether the information contained in a plan at the time of submission is adequate. (3) The department, using the rules of the board, shall provide a checklist that, if properly followed by the registered professional forester, should result in a plan that complies with Section 4582 for the purposes of filing. The department, in the implementation of an electronic plan submission program, shall incorporate procedures that address this information. (b) In addition to the requirements in subdivision (a), the department shall issue guidance to achieve greater timber harvesting plan review accuracy and efficiency and to avoid duplication of efforts. The guidance shall include guidance to responsible agencies that rely on the timber harvesting plan for their analysis under the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) when the agencies are issuing a permit to enable implementation of all or part of the project. This guidance shall assist the responsible agencies to avoid duplication in information requests for the responsible agencies’ permits. Responsible agencies are encouraged to include mitigation measures prior to the close of public comment to ensure they are examined at a sufficient level of detail prior to the close of public comment. (c) This section does not preclude the department or other public agencies from imposing postapproval compliance requirements as the result of newly discovered or unforeseen conditions. (d) For purposes of this section, “plan” or “timber harvesting plan” includes all forms or documents required to be submitted to the department for review, including, but not limited to, timber harvesting plan documents, program timberland environmental impact reports, program timber harvesting plans, modified timber harvesting plans, nonindustrial timber management plans, sustained yield plans, and working forest management plans.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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