Timber Harvesting. Identification. Old Growth Trees. Clearcutting.

TIMBER HARVESTING. IDENTIFICATION. OLD GROWTH TREES. CLEARCUTTING. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Restricts clearcutting to prohibit cuts resulting in post-harvest areas retaining less than 100 square feet/acre of lumber, measured at 4.5 feet from base of timberland on two acres or more. Limited exceptions. Requires identification, public notice of "Heritage Trees"/stamping of lumber milled from such trees. Authorizes civil enforcement actions by Attorney General, public officials, and private persons. Authorizes injunctions/fines up to $25,000/violation or three times timber value. Imposes fees to cover administration/enforcement costs. Prohibits payments from General Fund for costs of timber operations on private lands. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Unknown reduction in state and local revenues, potentially a few million to over ten million dollars annually, to extent timber harvesting is reduced. Unknown long term impact on state and local revenues due to changes in economic activities. Unknown state costs to implement timber harvest regulations; any costs would be offset by fees. Annual savings of about $13 million to various state funds from filing fee revenues for timber harvest plans.