BILL NUMBER: AB 417	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Dahle

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2015

   An act to amend Section 4561.2 of the Public Resources Code,
relating to forest practices.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 417, as introduced, Dahle. Forest practices: resource
conservation standards.
   The Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person
from conducting timber operations on timberland unless a timber
harvesting plan has been prepared by a registered professional
forester and has been submitted to the Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection and approved by the Director of Forestry and Fire
Protection or the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Existing law establishes minimum acceptable stocking standards and
provides that an area covered by a timber harvesting plan is
considered acceptably stocked if either one of 2 conditions are met
within 5 years after completion of timber operations: (1) that the
area contains an average point count of 300 per acre, as provided, or
(2) that the average residual basal area is at least 85 square feet
per acre, as provided. Existing law requires the board to adopt
stocking standards for each district, after a public hearing, that
are equal to or stricter than the minimum standards. Existing law,
notwithstanding the stocking conditions relating to areas with an
average point count of 300 per acre, authorizes the board to adopt
alternative stocking standards if those alternative standards
reasonably address variables in forest characteristics and achieve
suitable resource conservation, as provided.
   This bill would extend the authorization to adopt alternative
stocking standards notwithstanding the stocking conditions relating
to the basal area for purposes of authorizing the board to adopt
alternative standards.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 4561.2 of the Public Resources Code is amended
to read:
   4561.2.  Notwithstanding Section 4561.1 or the resource
conservation standards  in subdivision (a) of  
relating to stocking pursuant to  Section 4561, the board may
adopt alternative stocking standards that meet the purposes of
Section 4561 if those alternative standards reasonably address the
variables in forest characteristics and achieve suitable resource
conservation.