The state Forest Practices Board voted unanimously at its regular quarterly meeting yesterday to approve a rule that clarifies the authority of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to require geologic hazard assessments by licensed geologists when timber harvests are proposed near potentially unstable slopes.

The Board’s action formalizes a policy initiated by Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark in May 2014 for additional scrutiny of certain timber harvests.

Following the Board’s action, Commissioner Goldmark released the following statement:

“In May 2014, I instituted a policy of requiring additional geologic scrutiny for timber harvest applications that could affect unstable slopes. I’m grateful and pleased that today the Forest Practices Board unanimously adopted this policy as a rule.

“By this action, the Board ensures there will be an inspection of these particular applications by licensed geologists, and that decisions by DNR will be informed by expert information.

“I remain concerned about obtaining funding for the program’s budget request to the 2015 Legislature.”

DNR processes and approves forest practices applications for projects, including timber harvests, on about 9 million acres of private and state forestland in Washington state.