Oregon Dept. of Forestry – 09/13/22 8:29 AM
SALEM, Ore.— The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will host three in-person and one virtual information sessions to explain the proposed rule changes to Oregon Forest Practices Act (FPA). The meetings will be open house style with 45-minutes of presentations followed by an hour-long question and answer period at various stations. The virtual session will feature the same presentations followed by a group question and answer period.
The FPA changes are the result of agreements reached between timber industry and conservation group representatives and formalized in the Private Forest Accord (PFA), and with the passage of Senate Bills 1501 and 1502. The changes to the FPA assure the timber industry long-term regulatory certainty while providing environmental protections sought by conservation groups.
The Legislature directed ODF to work with the accord authors to make changes to the administrative rules that govern forest operations, known collectively as the Forest Practices Act.
The information sessions are to help people understand the proposed changes so they can make formal public comments either at the virtual hearings or by written submission by the Sept. 30 deadline.
The in-person sessions will be at:
Roseburg:
Douglas County Fairgrounds, Cascade West Hall
Location: 2110 SW Frear Street Roseburg, OR 97471
Date: Sept. 15
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Pendleton:
Pendleton Convention Center, Happy Canyon Room
Location: 1601 Westgate Pendleton, OR 97801
Date: Sept 20
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Forest Grove:
Holbrook Masonic Lodge
Location: 2019 Main Street, Forest Grove, OR 97116
Date: Sept. 21
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Virtual session:
Zoom meeting
Date: Sept 22
Time: 5-7 p.m.
Separate Formal Public Hearings information:
There will be no informal portion or question and answer period at the formal public hearings. These hearings are to gather formal public comments on the proposed FPA rule revisions only.
Verbal comments can be made at any of the virtual public meetings below:
- Sept. 26, 2022, 6 p.m., Zoom meeting
- Sept. 27, 2022, 10 a.m., Zoom meeting
- Sept. 28, 2022, 4 p.m., Zoom meeting
Written comments can be sent to 1501.rulemaking@oregon.gov“>sb1501.rulemaking@oregon.gov until 11:55 p.m. on Sept. 30.
For more information and a copy of the proposed rule revisions see ODF’s Private Forest Accord website.
