Forestry: timber harvesting plans.

Existing law requires a person conducting timber operations to prepare and submit to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection a timber harvesting plan, and authorizes a person who intends to become a nonindustrial tree farmer to file with the department a nonindustrial management plan, prepared by a registered professional forester. This bill would require the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, on or before July 1, 2010, to establish a uniform searchable database on its Internet Web site containing timber harvest plans and nonindustrial timber management plans submitted to the department for logging projects proposed to be conducted on nonfederal and private land in the state. The department would be required to post any comment letters on those plans from relevant state agencies or departments no later than 7 days after receipt. The bill would also require the department, by January 1, 2011, to post past timber harvest plans dating back to those approved in 2005 for all regions on its Internet Web site. The bill would require by January 1, 2012, the department to report to the Legislature on the feasibility of posting timber harvesting plans approved in 2004 and earlier on its Internet Web site.