Timber harvesting plans: San Jose Water Company.

The Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 prohibits a person from conducting timber operations, as defined, unless a timber harvesting plan prepared by a registered professional forester for those operations has been submitted to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the department to review, approve, require the modification of, or disapprove timber harvesting plans in accordance with prescribed procedures. This bill would require the department to ensure that, before the approval of a timber harvesting plan or an associated permit on lands owned by the San Jose Water Company, the San Jose Water Company conducts 2 public hearings on the timber harvesting plan or associated permit, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is a member of the interagency review team for any timber harvesting document proposed by the San Jose Water Company, and the County of Santa Clara and the appropriate regional water quality control boards each conduct a public hearing on the timber harvesting plan or associated permit. This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Counties of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz.