Forestry Commission public meetings in 2022
4 substantive meetings from 2022, with official agendas or minutes and plain-English summaries.
Forestry Commission
The Commission will meet to approve previous minutes and conduct an adjudicatory hearing. The agenda also includes setting severance tax rates for the 2023 calendar year and reviewing division reports.
- Adjudicatory hearing: 21-000117 Lionel Washington
- Setting of severance tax rates for January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023
- Division reports for Protection, Enforcement, Management, Health & GIS, and Aviation
The Commission established statewide severance tax rates for five timber product categories for 2023. In an adjudicatory hearing, the body found Lionel Washington in violation of loader log requirements and imposed a fine. The meeting also included budget updates on federal equipment spending and forest health monitoring.
- Approved minutes from September 13, 2022 (All in favor)
- Found Lionel Washington in violation for failure to keep a loaders log (All in favor)
- Imposed $350.00 fine on Lionel Washington (All in favor)
- Set 2023 Pine Sawtimber tax at $0.73 per ton (All in favor)
- Set 2023 Hardwood Sawtimber tax at $0.83 per ton (All in favor)
- Set 2023 Pine Chip-n-Saw tax at $0.45 per ton (All in favor)
- Set 2023 Pine Pulpwood tax at $0.44 per ton (All in favor)
- Set 2023 Hardwood Pulpwood tax at $0.39 per ton (All in favor)
Forestry Commission
The Louisiana Forestry Commission will hold an in-person meeting to consider adjudicatory hearings, including a continued matter and two violator notifications, and to approve minutes from June 14, 2022. The agenda also includes budget review and division reports on protection, enforcement, management, health & GIS, and aviation.
- Continued matter 20-000117: Lionel Washington
- Violator notification 22-000108: Craig Nelson Watts
- Violator notification 22-000119: Will Henry Brown Jr
- Approval of minutes from June 14, 2022
- Budget review
The Commission approved two fines of $350.00 each for failure to maintain loader logs. The board also reviewed budget updates regarding equipment purchases and radio upgrades.
- Approved June 14, 2022 meeting minutes
- Charged Craig Nelson Watts with one violation for failure to keep a loaders log
- Imposed $350.00 fine on Craig Nelson Watts
- Charged Will Henry Brown Jr. with one violation for failure to keep a loaders log
- Imposed $350.00 fine on Will Henry Brown Jr.
Forestry Commission
The Louisiana Forestry Commission will hold an in-person meeting to review budget items and division reports. The agenda also includes the approval of minutes from the March 8, 2022, meeting.
- Approval of minutes from March 8, 2022
- Budget review
- Division reports
The Commission approved the March 8, 2022 meeting minutes. Members discussed a proposed fee schedule for stipulated fines and a new rule requiring certified burners to recertify every five years starting August 20. The body also reviewed budget updates for equipment replacement and the 2023 FPP signup results.
- Approved minutes from March 8, 2022 (unanimous)
- Decided to create a proposal draft for stipulated fines ranging from warnings to maximum offenses
- Approved 511 FPP applications for $3.5 million for fiscal year 2023
- Established new rule requiring certified burner recertification every five years effective August 20
Forestry Commission
The Commission will conduct adjudicatory hearings and review various business items. The agenda includes continued matters and several stipulations.
- Adjudicatory hearing: 20-000117 Lionel Washington
- Stipulation: 20-000061 Tommy Lee Evans
- Stipulation: 21-000020 Moses Williams
- Stipulation: 21-000075 James Weeks
- Stipulation: 22-000009 John Dowden
The Commission accepted stipulation pleas and issued fines for five individuals following criminal investigations. The board also reviewed budget updates regarding equipment replacement and current fire conditions across the state.
- Approved minutes from December 6, 2021 (unanimous)
- Approved $150 fine for Tommy Lee Evans (unanimous)
- Approved $150 fine for Moses Williams (unanimous)
- Approved $300 fine for James Weeks (unanimous)
- Approved $150 fine for Kenneth Guillot (unanimous)
- Approved $150 fine for John Dowden (unanimous)