Attorney General’s Office seeks public input for rulings on unstable slopes

The Attorney General’s Office seeks public input on the following opinion request(s):

Opinion Docket No. 14-05-02 

Request by Peter Goldmark, Comm'r of Public Lands 

QUESTION(S):

1. Does the Washington State Forest Practices Board have the authority to adopt a moratorium on the acceptance or approval of Forest Practices Applications that pose a threat to public safety due to potential slope instability?

2. If the Board cannot adopt a moratorium, can it accomplish a similar result by adopting an emergency rule, and if so, what procedural steps must the Board follow to adopt on emergency rule concerning unstable slopes?

Details

The Washington Attorney General issues formal published opinions in response to requests by the heads of state agencies, state legislators, and county prosecuting attorneys. When it appears that individuals outside the Attorney General’s Office have information or expertise that will assist in the preparation of a particular opinion, a summary of that opinion request will be published in the state register. If you are interested in commenting on this opinion request, you should notify the Attorney General’s Office of your interest by June 25, 2014. This is not the due date by which comments must be received. However, if you do not notify the Attorney General’s Office of your interest in commenting on this opinion request by this date, the opinion may be issued before your comments have been received. You may notify the Attorney General’s Office of your intention to comment by e-mail to jeff.even@atg.wa.gov or by writing to the Office of the Attorney General, Solicitor General Division, Attention Jeff Even, Deputy Solicitor General, PO Box 40100, Olympia, Washington 98504-0100. When you notify the office of your intention to comment, you may be provided with a copy of the opinion request in which you are interested, information about the Attorney General’s Opinion process, information on how to submit your comments, and a due date by which your comments must be received to ensure that they are fully considered.