WAC 222-22-040   Watershed prioritization.  (1) The department shall determine, by region, the order in which it will analyze WAUs. The department shall cooperate with the departments of ecology, fish and wildlife, affected Indian tribes, forest land owners, and the public in setting priorities. In setting priorities or reprioritizing WAUs, the department shall consider the availability of participation and assistance that may be provided by affected Indian tribes and local government entities.

     *(2) Except as set forth in subsection (3) of this section, the department shall undertake a watershed analysis on each WAU, in the order established under subsection (1) of this section.

     *(3) The owner or owners of ten percent or more of the nonfederal forest land acreage in a WAU may notify the department in writing that the owner or owners intend to conduct a level 1 assessment, level 2 assessment, or both, and the prescription recommendation process on the WAU under this chapter at their own expense. The notice shall identify the teams proposed to conduct the watershed analysis, which shall be comprised of individuals qualified by the department pursuant to WAC 222-22-030. The department shall promptly notify any owner or owners sending notice under this subsection if any member of the designated teams is not so qualified. Within 30 days of delivering a notice to the department under this subsection, the forest land owner or owners shall begin the level 1 assessment under WAC 222-22-050 or, at its option, the level 2 assessment under WAC 222-22-060. An approved forest land owner team shall, while and only for the purposes of conducting a watershed analysis in a WAU, be a duly authorized representative of the department for the purposes of RCW 76.09.150. The board encourages forest land owners conducting assessments under this chapter to include available, qualified expertise from state and federal agencies, affected Indian tribes, forest land owners, local government entities, and the public.

     *(4) Before beginning an analysis in a WAU, the department or the forest land owner conducting the analysis shall provide reasonable notice, including notice by regular United States mail where names and addresses have been provided to the department, to all forest land owners in the WAU, and to affected Indian tribes. The department or the forest land owner shall provide reasonable notice to the public and to state, federal, and local government entities, by, among other things, posting the notice conspicuously in the office of the departmental region containing the WAU. The notice shall be in a form designated by the department and give notice that an analysis is being conducted, by whose team, the time period of the analysis, and the dates and locations in which the draft analysis will be available for review and comment.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 97-24-091, § 222-22-040, filed 12/3/97, effective 1/3/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040, 76.09.170 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 94-01-134, § 222-22-040, filed 12/20/93, effective 1/1/94. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040, 76.09.050 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 92-15-011, § 222-22-040, filed 7/2/92, effective 8/2/92.]