ORS 527.680: Violation by operator; citation; order to cease violation; order to repair damage; temporary order where violation continuing; service on operator.
Edition: 2025 EditionEffective: 2026-01-01Last verified: 2026-09-07
(1) Whenever the State Forester determines that an operator has committed a violation under ORS 527.990 (1), the State Forester may issue and serve a citation upon the operator or authorized representative. The State Forester shall cause a copy of the citation to be mailed or delivered to the timber owner and landowner. Whenever the State Forester determines that the landowner has failed to comply with the reforestation rules under ORS 527.710, the State Forester may issue and serve a citation upon the landowner or authorized representative. Each citation issued under this section shall specify the nature of the violation charged and any damage or unsatisfactory condition that has occurred as the result of such violation. (2) Whenever a citation is served pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the State Forester: (a) Shall issue and serve upon the landowner or operator or authorized representative an order directing that the landowner or operator cease further violation. If the order is served upon an operator, the State Forester shall cause a copy of such order to be mailed or delivered to the timber owner and landowner; and (b) May issue and serve an order upon the landowner or operator and shall cause a copy of such order to be mailed or delivered to the timber owner and landowner, directing the landowner or operator, where practical and economically feasible, to make reasonable efforts to repair the damage or correct the unsatisfactory condition specified in the citation within a period specified by the State Forester. (3) In the event the order issued under subsection (2)(a) of this section has not been complied with, and the violation specified in such order is resulting in continuing damage, the State Forester by temporary order may direct the landowner or operator to cease any further activity in that portion of the operation that is resulting in such damage. Such temporary order shall be in effect until the date of the expiration of the period as prescribed in subsection (4) of this section or until the date that the violation ceases, whichever date occurs first. (4) A temporary order issued under subsection (3) of this section shall be served upon the landowner or operator or authorized representative, and the State Forester shall cause a copy of such temporary order to be mailed or delivered to the operator, timber owner and landowner. If requested by the operator, timber owner or landowner, the State Board of Forestry, following the appeal procedures of ORS 527.700, must hold a hearing on the temporary order within five working days after the receipt by the board of the request. A temporary order issued and served pursuant to subsection (3) of this section shall remain in effect not more than five working days after such hearing unless the order is sooner affirmed, modified or revoked by the board. (5) If a landowner or operator fails to comply with a final order issued under subsection (2)(b) of this section within the time specified in the order, or if the landowner or operator fails to comply with a final order imposing civil penalties for violation of any provision of the Oregon Forest Practices Act, the State Forester may issue an order that prohibits the affected landowner or operator from conducting any new operations on any forestland in this state until the landowner or operator has complied with the order to correct an unsatisfactory condition, make repair or pay the civil penalty, as the case may be, to the satisfaction of the State Forester. (6) The State Forester may require an operator, timber owner or landowner to provide financial assurance before conducting a new operation if the State Forester has, within the preceding three-year period, made a finding under ORS 527.685 (6) applicable to the operator, timber owner or landowner. [1971 c.316 §10; 1983 c.759 §1; 1997 c.306 §1; 2022 c.33 §45] 527.680. (1) Whenever the State Forester determines that an operator has committed a violation under ORS 527.990 (1), the State Forester may issue and serve a citation upon the operator or authorized representative. The State Forester shall cause a copy of the citation to be mailed or delivered to the timber owner and landowner. Whenever the State Forester determines that the landowner has failed to comply with the reforestation rules under ORS 527.710, the State Forester may issue and serve a citation upon the landowner or authorized representative. Each citation issued under this section shall specify the nature of the violation charged and any damage or unsatisfactory condition that has occurred as the result of such violation. (2) Whenever a citation is served pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the State Forester: (a) Shall issue and serve upon the landowner or operator or authorized representative an order directing that the landowner or operator cease further violation. If the order is served upon an operator, the State Forester shall cause a copy of such order to be mailed or delivered to the timber owner and landowner; and (b) May issue and serve an order upon the landowner or operator and shall cause a copy of such order to be mailed or delivered to the timber owner and landowner, directing the landowner or operator, where practical and economically feasible, to make reasonable efforts to repair the damage or correct the unsatisfactory condition specified in the citation within a period specified by the State Forester. (3) In the event the order issued under subsection (2)(a) of this section has not been complied with, and the violation specified in such order is resulting in continuing damage, the State Forester by temporary order may direct the landowner or operator to cease any further activity in that portion of the operation that is resulting in such damage. Such temporary order shall be in effect until the date of the expiration of the period as prescribed in subsection (4) of this section or until the date that the violation ceases, whichever date occurs first. (4) A temporary order issued under subsection (3) of this section shall be served upon the landowner or operator or authorized representative, and the State Forester shall cause a copy of such temporary order to be mailed or delivered to the operator, timber owner and landowner. If requested by the operator, timber owner or landowner, the State Board of Forestry, following the appeal procedures of ORS 527.700, must hold a hearing on the temporary order within five working days after the receipt by the board of the request. A temporary order issued and served pursuant to subsection (3) of this section shall remain in effect not more than five working days after such hearing unless the order is sooner affirmed, modified or revoked by the board. (5) If a landowner or operator fails to comply with a final order issued under subsection (2)(b) of this section within the time specified in the order, or if the landowner or operator fails to comply with a final order imposing civil penalties for violation of any provision of the Oregon Forest Practices Act, the State Forester may issue an order that prohibits the affected landowner or operator from conducting any new operations on any forestland in this state until the landowner or operator has complied with the order to correct an unsatisfactory condition, make repair or pay the civil penalty, as the case may be, to the satisfaction of the State Forester.
Official history and status
History: Note: The amendments to 527.680 by section 70, chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022, become operative only if certain conditions are met. See sections 54 and 61 to 64, chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022 (third note following 527.711). 527.680, as amended by section 70, chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
Administrative rules citing this section
- OAR 629-670-0015: Enforcement Policy — implements
- OAR 629-670-0100: Inspections; Compliance Determination — implements
- OAR 629-670-0105: The Concept of Damage — implements
- OAR 629-670-0110: Enforcement Action — implements
- OAR 629-670-0115: Using the Written Statement of Unsatisfactory Condition to Prevent Damage — implements
- OAR 629-670-0120: Using the Written Statement of Unsatisfactory Condition for Failure to Begin Timely Reforestation — implements
- OAR 629-670-0130: Issuing a Citation and an Order to Cease Further Violation — implements
- OAR 629-670-0140: Criminal Prosecution — implements
- OAR 629-670-0228: Repeat Violators and Financial Assurances — implements
- OAR 629-670-0350: Orders Prohibiting New Operations — implements
This rule cites
- ORS 527.990 — resolved
- ORS 527.710 — resolved
- ORS 527.700 — resolved
- ORS 527.685 — resolved
Cited by
- ORS 93.710: Instruments or memoranda creating certain interests in realty; contents; reforestation order; effect of recording.
- ORS 496.254: Oregon Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee.
- ORS 498.061: Reporting takings of beaver; rules.
- ORS 526.400: Small Forestland Owner Assistance Office; rules.
- ORS 527.620: Definitions for ORS 527.610 to 527.770.
- ORS 527.630: Policy; rules.
- ORS 527.683: Notice of violation.
- ORS 527.690: Failure to comply with order to reforest or repair damage; estimate of cost of repair; notification; board authorization for repair; cost of repair as lien upon operator, timber owner or landowner.
- ORS 527.711: Private Forest Accord rule package.
- ORS 527.822: Reports to Legislative Assembly.
- ORS 527.990: Criminal penalties.
- ORS 527.992: Civil penalties.
- OAR 629-001-0015: Rules of Procedure for Contested Cases; Applicability
- OAR 629-048-0500: Enforcement
- OAR 629-600-0100: Definitions
- OAR 629-605-0175: Harvest Type 3 Units Exceeding 120 Acres
- OAR 629-605-0200: Compliance with Statutory Requirements
- OAR 629-670-0010: Definitions
- OAR 629-670-0110: Enforcement Action
- OAR 629-670-0130: Issuing a Citation and an Order to Cease Further Violation
- OAR 629-670-0210: Amount of Civil Penalties
- OAR 629-670-0350: Orders Prohibiting New Operations
- OAR 629-672-0100: Orders of the State Forester
Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors527.html