Sec. 41.17.080. - Regulations. - Alaska Statutes

(a) The commissioner may adopt regulations necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) regarding forest practices such as

(1) road construction and maintenance, including

(A) road location, construction, maintenance, and post-operation management or removal;

(B) landing location and construction;

(C) drainage structures;

(D) material sources and spoil disposal sites;

(2) timber harvesting, including

(A) timber harvest unit planning and design;

(B) felling and bucking;

(C) cable yarding, shovel, tractor, and wheeled skidder systems;

(D) landing clean-up;

(E) slash disposal;

(3) log transfer, sort yards, and storage facilities, including

(A) location, design, and construction;

(B) maintenance;

(C) closure;

(D) log storage, rafting, and identification;

(4) reforestation, including

(A) site preparation and rehabilitation;

(B) prescribed burning;

(C) exemptions from reforestation requirements;

(5) prevention and suppression of forest insects and diseases;

(6) salvage logging;

(7) vegetative management; and

(8) fire and flood hazard management.

(b) The commissioner shall adopt regulations specifying the information to be submitted under AS 41.17.090 (c) in the detailed plan of operations to enable the division to determine whether the activities comply with the requirements of this chapter.

(c) The commissioner may establish regions, districts, or other subdivisions of forest land in the state in which different regulations apply to reflect varying conditions in the state or to facilitate administration. In adopting regulations, the commissioner shall make appropriate distinctions between public and private land.

(d) The commissioner shall adopt only those regulations necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter and shall avoid regulations that increase operating costs without yielding significant benefits to public resources.