2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 23 - Parks, Forests and Public Shade Trees › Chapter 451a - Forest Practices › Section 23-65g. - Forest Practices Advisory Board. Membership. Powers and duties.

(a) There is established a Forest Practices Advisory Board consisting of the State Forester or the State Forester's designee, and nine public members appointed as follows: (1) Three by the Governor, one of whom shall be an officer of an environmental organization headquartered in the state that is concerned primarily with forests, one of whom shall be a representative of an environmental organization not primarily concerned with forests, and one of whom shall be a member of an inland wetlands agency; (2) one appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, who shall be an owner of not less than ten but not more than two hundred fifty acres of forest land; (3) one appointed by president pro tempore of the Senate, who shall be a professional forester in private practice; (4) one appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a representative of the forest products industry; (5) one appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be a professor of forestry or natural resources from a college or university in the state; (6) one appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who shall be a member of the public; and (7) one appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be a member of the public.
(b) Each member shall be appointed for a term of four years. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by the appointing authority, as provided in subsection (a) of this section. Each member of the board shall serve until such member's successor is appointed, provided the term of any member serving as of October 1, 2022, shall expire on October 1, 2022.
(c) The State Forester or the State Forester's designee shall serve as chairman of the board. The board shall meet not less than three times, annually, at such time and place as shall be designated by the chairman, or upon the written request of a majority of the members of the board. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The principal office of the board shall be the State Forester's office.
(d) Members of the board shall be entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
(e) The Forest Practices Advisory Board shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To periodically review applicable regulations concerning forest practices or the certification of forest practitioners and to issue recommendations to the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection for changes to such regulations;
(2) To periodically review the programs and policies of the department regarding forests, forest health and forest practices and to issue recommendations to the commissioner for changes to such programs and policies; and
(3) To provide advice and guidance to the commissioner regarding the certification of technically proficient forest practitioners and the revocation or suspension of such certification.
(P.A. 86-257, S. 2, 6; P.A. 91-335, S. 2; P.A. 93-223; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 22-143, S. 7.)
History: P.A. 91-335 entirely replaced former provisions re logger registration board with provisions concerning forest practices advisory board; P.A. 93-223 added two gubernatorial appointments to the board and specified that one member represent an environmental organization not primarily concerned with forests and that one be a member of an inland wetlands agency; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” in Subsec. (e)(1), effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 22-143 amended Subsec. (a) to make technical changes and to reconstitute the appointment authority and qualifications for the 9 public members of the board, Subsec. (b) to repeal former terms for board members, provide for a 4-year term for members of the reconstituted board and provide for the filling of vacancies by appointing authorities and Subsec. (c) to make technical changes.