If a violation, a deviation, material damage or potential for material damage to a public resource has occurred and the department determines that a stop work order is unnecessary, then the department shall issue and serve upon the operator or land owner a notice, which shall clearly set forth:

(1)(a) The specific nature, extent, and time of failure to comply with the approved application; or identifying the damage or potential damage; and/or

(b) The relevant provisions of this chapter or of the forest practice regulations relating thereto;

(2) The right of the operator or land owner to a hearing before the department; and

(3) The specific course of action ordered by the department to be followed by the operator to correct such failure to comply and to prevent, correct and/or compensate for material damage to public resources which resulted from any violation, unauthorized deviation, or wilful or negligent disregard for potential damage to a public resource; and/or those courses of action necessary to prevent continuing damage to public resources where the damage is resulting from the forest practice activities but has not resulted from any violation, unauthorized deviation, or negligence.

The department shall mail a copy thereof to the forestland owner and the timber owner at the addresses shown on the application, showing the date of service upon the operator. Such notice to comply shall become a final order of the department: PROVIDED, That no direct appeal to the appeals board will be allowed from such final order. Such operator shall undertake the course of action so ordered by the department unless, within fifteen days after the date of service of such notice to comply, the operator, forestland owner, or timber owner, shall request the department in writing to schedule a hearing. If so requested, the department shall schedule a hearing on a date not more than twenty days after receiving such request. Within ten days after such hearing, the department shall issue a final order either withdrawing its notice to comply or clearly setting forth the specific course of action to be followed by such operator. Such operator shall undertake the course of action so ordered by the department unless within thirty days after the date of receipt of such final order, the operator, forestland owner, or timber owner appeals such final order to the appeals board.

No person shall be under any obligation under this section to prevent, correct, or compensate for any damage to public resources which occurs more than one year after the date of completion of the forest practices operations involved exclusive of reforestation, unless such forest practices were not conducted in accordance with forest practices rules and regulations: PROVIDED, That this provision shall not relieve the forestland owner from any obligation to comply with forest practices rules and regulations pertaining to providing continuing road maintenance. No action to recover damages shall be taken under this section more than two years after the date the damage involved occurs.

Intent—Effective dates—Application—Pending cases and rules—2010 c 210: See notes following RCW 43.21B.001.