OAR 629-605-0170: Written Plans

(1) Definition of “Directly Affect” and “Physical Components” For the purpose of section (4) of this rule: (a) “Physical components” means materials such as, but not limited to, vegetation, snags, rocks and soil; and (b) “Directly affect” means that physical components will be moved, disturbed, or otherwise altered by the operation. (2) Statutory Written Plans for Operations near Type F, Type SSBT and Type D Streams. An operator must submit to the State Forester a written plan as required by ORS 527.670(3) before conducting an operation that requires notification under OAR 629-605-0140, and that is within 100 feet of a Type F, Type SSBT or Type D stream. (3) Statutory Written Plans for Operations near Wetlands larger than Eight Acres, Bogs or Important Springs in Eastern Oregon. An operator must submit to the State Forester a written plan as required by ORS 527.670(3) before conducting an operation that requires notification under OAR 629-605-0140, and that is within 100 feet of a significant wetland that is a wetland larger than eight acres (not an estuary), a bog, or an important spring in Eastern Oregon as identified in 629-645-0000 (Riparian Management Areas and Protection Measures for Significant Wetlands). (4) Waiver of Statutory Written Plans. The State Forester may waive, in writing, the requirement for a written plan described in sections (2) and (3) unless the operation activity will directly affect the physical components of the riparian management area for Type F, Type SSBT, Type D streams or significant wetlands. The department shall publish Forest Practices Technical Guidance to explain how to implement this rule. (5) Statutory Written Plans for Operations near Wildlife Sites and Estuaries. An operator must submit to the State Forester a written plan as required by ORS 527.670(3) before conducting an operation that requires notification under OAR 629-605-0140, and that is within 300 feet of any: (a) Specific site involving threatened or endangered wildlife species, or sensitive bird nesting, roosting, or watering sites; as listed by approximate legal description, in a document published by the Department of Forestry titled "Cooperative Agreement Between the Board of Forestry and the Fish and Wildlife Commission, March 28, 1984." (b) Resource site identified in OAR 629-665-0100 (Species Using Sensitive Bird Nesting, Roosting and Watering Sites), 629-665-0200 (Resource Sites Used By Threatened and Endangered Species). (c) Significant wetland that is classified as an estuary identified in OAR 629-645-0000 (Riparian Management Areas and Protection Measures for Significant Wetlands). (d) Nesting or roosting site of threatened or endangered species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission by administrative rule. (6) Statutory Written Plans and Stewardship Agreements. The written plan requirements in section (2), (3) and (5) of this rule do not apply to operations that will be conducted pursuant to a stewardship agreement entered into under ORS 541.973. (7) Statutory Written Plan Requirements and Notification of Protected Resource Sites. The State Forester shall notify the operator of the presence of any site listed in section (2), (3) or (5) of this rule at any time the State Forester determines the presence of those sites. (8) The State Forester shall notify the operator that a written plan is required if: (a) The operation will be within 100 feet of any sites listed in sections (2) or (3) of this rule and the operation will directly affect the physical components of a riparian management area associated with any of those sites; or (b) The operation will be within 300 feet of any site listed in section (5) of this rule. (9) Statutory Written Plan Hearing Provisions. Written plans required under sections (2), (3) or (5) of this rule shall be subject to the hearings provisions of ORS 527.700 (Appeals from orders of State Forester hearings procedure; stay of operation); and shall be subject to the provisions of 527.670(8) through (12) (Commencement of operations; when notice and written plan required; appeal of plan) prescribing certain waiting periods and procedures. (10) Non-Statutory Written Plans. (a) An operator must submit a written plan as required by ORS 527.670(2) and the rules listed below unless the State Forester waives the written plan requirement. Written plans required by the rules listed below are not subject to the provisions of ORS 527.700(3) or ORS 527.670(10), (11) and (12). (A) 629-605-0190(1) — Operating near or within sites that are listed in the "Cooperative Agreement Between the Board of Forestry and the Fish and Wildlife Commission, March 28, 1984" or sites designated by the State Forester; (B) 629-605-0190(2) — Operating near or within habitat sites of any wildlife or aquatic species classified by the Department of Fish and Wildlife as threatened or endangered; (C) 629-623-0700(1) — Conducting timber harvesting or road construction operations with intermediate or substantial downslope public safety risk; (D) 629-623-0700(2) — Constructing a stream crossing fill over a debris torrent-prone stream with intermediate or substantial downslope public safety risk; (E) 629-623-0700(3) — Locating a waste-fill area within a drainage containing debris torrent-prone streams with intermediate or substantial downslope public safety risk; (F) 629-630-0700(3)(d) Cable yarding across streams classified as medium or large Type Np; (G) 629-630-0915(2) Harvesting timber where yarding will occur within stream adjacent failures identified upslope of the Type F or Type SSBT stream riparian management area. (H) 629-630-0920(8) Harvesting timber where yarding will occur within stream adjacent failures identified upslope of the Type F or Type SSBT stream riparian management area. (I) 629-650-0005 — Operating within 100 feet of a large lake; (J) 629-665-0020(2) — Operating near a resource site requiring special protection; and (K) 629-665-0210(1) — Operating near a Northern Spotted Owl resource site. (b) An operator must submit a written plan as required by ORS 527.670(2) and the rules listed below and the State Forester shall not waive the written plan requirement. Written plans required by the rules listed below are not subject to the provisions of ORS 527.700(3) or ORS 527.670(10), (11) and (12). (A) 629-625-0100(2)(a) — Activities creating risks identified in 629-625-0100(2)(a) outside of 100 feet of Type F, Type SSBT, Type D streams and Significant Wetlands or creating risks identified in 629-625-0100(2)(a) to other Waters of the State; (B) 629-625-0100(2) — Conducting machine activity in Type N streams or lakes; (C) 629-625-0100(2)(c) — Constructing roads in RMA of Type N streams or lakes; (D) 629-625-0100(2)(d) — Constructing or reconstructing any crossings of Waters of the State excluding Type F, Type SSBT, or Type D streams or Significant Wetlands; (E) 629-625-0100(2)(e) — Activities in a critical location outside of 100 feet of Type F, Type SSBT, Type D streams, or Significant Wetlands; (F) 629-625-0100(4) — Placing woody debris or boulders in Type N stream channels for stream enhancement; (G) 629-625-0320(1)(b)(B) — Constructing or reconstructing any water crossing with fill over 15 feet deep in any Type N stream, wetland that does not meet the definition of significant wetland, lakes, bays, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, rivers, streams, creeks, estuaries, marshes, inlets, or canals; (H) 629-625-0410(5) — Temporary placement of fill within the RMA of any Type N stream, wetland that does not meet the definition of Significant Wetland, lakes, bays, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs, rivers, streams, creeks, estuaries, marshes, inlets, or canals; (I) 629-630-0905(4) — Harvesting timber in a unit that contains designated debris flow traversal areas; (J) 629-630-0910(6) — Harvesting timber in a unit that contains designated sediment source areas and slope retention areas; and (K) 629-630-0920(4) — Harvesting timber in a unit that contains designated debris flow traversal areas. (11) If an operator, timber owner or landowner is required to submit a written plan to the State Forester under section (10) of this rule: (a) The State Forester shall review the written plan and may provide comments to the person who submitted the written plan; (b) Provided that notice has been given as required by ORS 527.670 and OAR 629-605-0150, the operation may commence on the date the State Forester provides comments. If no comments are provided the operation may commence at any time after 14 calendar days following the date the written plan was received; (c) Comments provided by the State Forester under subsection (a) of this section, to the person who submitted the written plan are for the sole purpose of providing advice to the operator, timber owner or landowner regarding whether the operation described in the written plan is likely to comply with ORS 527.610 to 527.770 and rules adopted thereunder. Comments provided by the State Forester do not constitute an approval of the written plan or operation; (d) If the State Forester does not comment on a written plan, the failure to comment does not mean an operation carried out in conformance with the written plan complies with ORS 527.610 to 527.770 or rules adopted thereunder nor does the failure to comment constitute a rejection of the written plan or operation; (e) In the event that the State Forester determines that an enforcement action may be appropriate concerning the compliance of a particular operation with ORS 527.610 to 527.770 or rules adopted thereunder, the State Forester shall consider, but is not bound by, comments that the State Forester provided under this section. (12) Written Plan Content. Written plans required under OAR 629-605-0170 must contain a description of how the operation is planned to be conducted in sufficient detail to allow the State Forester to evaluate and comment on the likelihood that the operation will comply with the Forest Practices Act or administrative rules. (13) Written plans required under OAR 629-605-0170 will be considered received when complete with the following information: (a) A map showing protected resource(s) and the harvest area; and (b) The specific resource(s) that require protection; and (c) The practices that may affect the protected resource(s) such as road and landing location, disposal of waste materials, felling and bucking and post operation stabilization measures; and (d) The specific techniques and methods employed for resource protection such as road and landing design, road construction techniques, drainage systems, buffer strips, yarding system and layout; and (e) Additional written plan content required in individual rules. (14) In addition to the other requirements in this rule, written plans for operations within 100 feet of domestic water use portions of Type F, Type SSBT or Type D streams must contain a description of the practices and methods that will be used to prevent sediment from entering waters of the state. (15) Modification of a written plan shall be required when, based on information that was not available or was unknown at the time the original written plan was reviewed, the State Forester determines the written plan no longer addresses compliance with applicable forest practice rules. Written plans with modifications required under this section shall not be subject to the provisions of ORS 527.670(10) and (11) relating to waiting periods for written plans.