Continuing forest land obligations include reforestation, road maintenance and abandonment plans, and harvest strategies on perennial nonfish habitat waters in Eastern Washington. This section does not apply to small forest landowner checklist road maintenance and abandonment plans.

(1) Prior to the sale or transfer of land or perpetual timber rights subject to continuing forest land obligations under the Forest Practices Act and rules, the seller must notify the buyer of the existence and nature of such a continuing obligation and the buyer must sign a notice of continuing forest land obligation indicating the buyer's knowledge of the obligations. The notice must be:

(a) On a form prepared by the department;

(b) Sent to the department by the seller at the time of sale or transfer of land or perpetual timber rights; and

(c) Retained by the department.

(2) If the seller fails to notify the buyer about the continuing forest land obligation, the seller must pay the buyer's costs related to continuing forest land obligations, including all legal costs and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the buyer in enforcing the continuing forest land obligation against the seller.

(3) Failure by the seller to send the required notice to the department at the time of sale will be prima facie evidence in an action by the buyer against the seller for costs related to the continuing forest land obligation prior to sale.