[Ord. 696, 12/11/1989, § I]
1.
The purpose of this Part is to provide for soil erosion and sedimentation
control standards and requirements for forest product removal operations
within the Borough of Renovo.
A.
The steep terrain in the Borough may result in damage to forest streams
which can be caused by soil erosion and sedimentation during logging
operations.
B.
Muddy water that is harmful to fish and other aquatic life, unsuitable
for human consumption or undesirable for recreational purposes, such
as swimming, can often be traced to poorly managed logging operations.
C.
This Part is to assure implementation of the sections of the Clean
Streams Law relating to the discharge of polluting substances into
the waters of the commonwealth.
2.
Forest product harvesting operations involve activities which disturb
the forest soil cover and can lead to accelerated soil erosion and
sedimentation. While the cutting, felling, limbing and bucking of
timber does not cause accelerated soil erosion, the following forest
product removal activities do create potential areas of accelerated
soil erosion:
A.
Constructing, improving and using main haul roads to transport forest
products from the site.
B.
Locating, developing and using skid roads to move forest products
material from the stump to a loading or processing area.
C.
Heavy usage of skid trails where surface is repeatedly disturbed.
Skid trails extend from the stump to the main skid road.
D.
Constructing and using load areas, landings or yards where wood products
are concentrated for sorting, loading or processing.
E.
Clearing, grading and operating areas for portable saw mills or other
types of forest product processing equipment.
[Ord. 696, 12/11/1989, § II; as amended by A.O.]
1.
All persons conducting earthmoving activities in the Borough shall
design, implement and maintain erosion and sedimentation control measures
and have these measures set forth in a plan.
A.
The plan shall be prepared by a person trained and experienced in
erosion and sedimentation control methods and techniques.
B.
The plan shall be designed to prevent accelerated erosion and sedimentation
and shall consider all factors which contribute to erosion and sedimentation,
including, but not limited to, the following:
(1)
The topographic features of the area.
(2)
The types, depth and slope and areal extent of the soils.
(3)
The proposed alteration of the area.
(4)
The amount of runoff from the project area and the upstream
watershed area.
(5)
The staging of earthmoving activities.
(6)
Temporary control measures and facilities for long term protection.
(7)
Permanent control measures and facilities for long term protection.
(8)
A maintenance program for control facilities including disposal
of materials removed from the control facilities or area project.
(9)
Show planned velocities at the outfalls of storm drain culverts
and constructive surface runoff control measures.
(10)
The plan shall be available at the site of the earthmoving activity.
C.
All soil erosion and sedimentation control plans shall be reviewed
for adequacy by the Clinton County Conservation District that involve
25 acres or more, and less than 25 acres in critical needs areas as
determined by the Clinton County Conservation District.
D.
All activities involving 25 acres or more shall require a permit
from the Borough at a cost of an amount as established, from time
to time, by resolution of Borough Council before commencement and
a copy of the soil erosion and sedimentation control plan reviewed
by the Clinton County Conservation District must be submitted with
the application. In the event that the Borough of Renovo or the Clinton
County Conservation District shall determine that an area is critical
needs area in erosion control and sedimentation control, a permit
can be required for an area of less than 25 acres. Critical needs
areas include such areas as watersheds, steeper slopes areas likely
to affect existing structures in development, and other critical needs
as determined by the Borough of Renovo and/or the Clinton County Conservation
District.
2.
State Permit Requirement. Any person who engages in an earthmoving
activity of greater than 25 acres within the Borough shall obtain
a permit from the Department of Environmental Protection prior to
commencement of the activity except that a permit shall not be required:
A.
Where earthmoving activity involves plowing or tilling for agricultural
purposes.
B.
Where an erosion or sedimentation control plan has been developed
for an earthmoving activity by the USDA Soil Conservation Service.
C.
Where an activity is required to obtain a permit pursuant to the
Clean Streams Law (35 P.S. § 691.9 et seq.), the Surface
Mining and Reclamation Act (52 P.S. § 1396.1 et seq.), the
Water Obstructions Act (32 P.S. § 681 et seq.) or the provisions
of Chapter 91-101 of the Clean Streams Law (relating to water pollution).
[Ord. 696, 12/11/1989, § III; as amended by A.O.]
1.
Logging Operations; General Requirements.
A.
There shall be no hauling, skidding or placing fills or other obstructions
in live or intermittent streams, other than placing culvert pipes.
B.
Skidding across live or intermittent streams shall be done only over
properly constructed bridges or culverts.
C.
Proper permits from DEP Division of Dams and Encroachments and the
Fish Commission shall be obtained for any stream crossings. Fords
shall not be used on any operation located on a watershed of a municipality,
institution or domestic water supply.
D.
No tops or slash shall be left on any drainage ditch leading from
a culvert, water bar, intercepting dip or break in the berm of the
road, or within a stream, dam or lake.
E.
Debris shall be moved back at least 25 feet from streams, dams or
lakes, so that it cannot be washed into these water areas.
2.
Haul Road Specifications.
A.
Road Location.
(1)
Road grades should be kept between 2% to 10%.
(2)
Where absolutely necessary, grades of 15% to 20% can be used
for short distances of 300 feet to 500 feet, provided there is at
least 300 feet of road grade above and below the steep section which
is under 10% grade.
(3)
Wet or swampy areas should be avoided.
(4)
When locating a road above a stream course an adequate filtration
strip between the road and the stream shall be made as follows:
|
Slope of Land Between Road and Stream
|
Width of Filtration Strip
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
0%
|
25
| |
|
10%
|
45
| |
|
20%
|
65
| |
|
30%
|
85
| |
|
40%
|
105
| |
|
50%
|
125
| |
|
60%
|
145
| |
|
70%
|
165
|
B.
Road Construction.
(1)
In constructing a forest road, the trees in the right-of-way
may be cut or pushed out with a bulldozer, but stumps, roots and other
debris must be moved back beyond the cleared right-of-way to allow
for proper construction.
(2)
A sixteen-foot width including ditches is usually adequate for
a single track haul road.
C.
Road Drainage. Where haul roads are constructed or in use, the roads
shall have adequate drainage culverts, dips, thank-you-mam's,
outsloping of the road, and in-sloping of the road with culverts or
cross drainage structures.
(1)
The distance between culverts or cross drains shall be as follows:
|
Road Grade
|
Spacing
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
2% to 5%
|
300 to 500
| |
|
6% to 10%
|
200 to 300
| |
|
11% to 15%
|
100 to 200
|
E.
Maintenance.
(1)
All logging roads should be kept reasonably free of ruts, curbs,
and logging debris that prevent water from flowing freely off of the
road surface and into drainage structures.
F.
Road Use.
(1)
All logging roads should not be used during thawing of road
surface in order to avoid damage and excessive erosion and shall be
reduced or eliminated during unfavorable weather conditions.
G.
Retirement.
(1)
The erosion and sedimentation control plans shall have provisions
for retirement of haul roads after all product removal has been completed.
(2)
All road surfaces shall be smoothed and shaped.
(3)
All open-top culverts shall be removed and replaced with water-bars,
dips, or ditches based on the road grade as follows:
|
Road Grade
|
Spacing
(feet)
| |
|---|---|---|
|
1%
|
400
| |
|
2%
|
245
| |
|
5%
|
125
| |
|
10%
|
78
| |
|
15%
|
58
|
(4)
Metal culverts which are covered with two feet or more of fill
shall remain in place.
(5)
All roads shall be vegetated with permanent seeding, lime and
fertilizer according to soil conservation standards and specifications.
(6)
All seeding should be mulched with straw or hay at a rate of
three tons per acre.
(7)
All vegetation planted shall conform to the rules and regulations
of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industries.
(8)
In order to reduce the amount of mud carried onto paved roads,
dirt roads shall be covered where necessary with suitable aggregate
for at least 200 feet from the paved road.
3.
Skid Road and Skid Trail Specifications.
A.
The following points should receive consideration in developing a
skid road and trail system on a logging job:
(1)
First locate landings in relation to a main haul and/or truck
road. Then lay out the skid road and trail approaches with a low grade.
(2)
Keep grades as low as topography will permit. Do not go straight
up a slope, but proceed slanting up the hill.
(3)
Avoid stream beds, rocky places, and adverse grades.
(4)
Cross stream courses at right angles (90°) and use simple
culverts or bridges.
(5)
Break the grade occasionally and avoid long, straight grades;
these permit water to build up and cause erosion.
(6)
Wherever possible, build all skid roads and trails from the
top down.
(7)
Water turnouts should be installed on skid roads and trails
at intervals not greater than is indicated in the same table which
governs spacing of culverts on truck roads. A cross drain should be
provided immediately above extra steep pitches in the road and below
bank seepage spots.
(8)
Construct bridges or construct culverts at live stream crossings.
(9)
Install fender logs on the outside of the skid road and trail
on steep slopes, also at turns and switchbacks to prevent logs from
rolling off the skid road and to protect adjacent timber from damage.
4.
Landing and Yarding Specifications.
A.
Adequate filtration strips should be allowed between landings and
streams.
(1)
All landings should be constructed at least 200 feet from streams,
ponds, lakes and marshes to reduce the risk of siltation caused by
erosion from the landings or at a distance of less than 200 feet is
determined to be feasible by the reviewing agency on a site specific
basis.
B.
The yard should have some slope to allow for drainage.
C.
If a landing is located at the base of a steep hillside, a diversion
ditch around the inside of the clearing should be established.
D.
When the landing is abandoned, no drainage from any road system shall
be permitted to flow across the landing site.
5.
Equipment and Machinery.
A.
When tractors or other equipment are serviced on the site of the
operation, old oils, etc., should be drained into containers and disposed
of in accordance with proper solid waste disposal.
B.
Empty containers should be removed from the site and disposed of
properly.
C.
Portable sawmills should not be set up within 300 feet of any stream
or watercourse.
D.
An adequate filtration strip should be established between any sawdust
pile and any stream, as determined by the reviewing agency.
6.
Streamside Logging.
A.
Cut only individually selected trees within 100 feet of either side
of all streams; maintain at least 50% of overhead canopy.
B.
Locate roads and skid trails away from watercourses. The minimum
distance between a watercourse and any road and/or skid trail shall
be 50 feet plus four feet for each 1% of slope; thus, a 20% slope
between road and watercourse would require 50 + (4x20), or 130 feet.
C.
Avoid stream crossings whenever possible. When crossings are necessary,
roads must cross watercourses, even small streams and seeps, on closed
culverts or bridges. Such crossings should be at right angles to the
watercourse.
D.
Trees cut near streams shall not be skidded or dragged across the
stream, but shall be removed from the stream side zone with a winch.
E.
Remove high risk trees subject to windthrow that are adjacent to
streams.
F.
Remove all tops and logging slash for a distance of at least 25 feet
from all streams and watercourses.
[Ord. 696, 12/11/1989, § IV; as amended by A.O.]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a magisterial district judge in the manner provided for the enforcement
of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $300 nor more than
$1,000 plus costs together with reasonable attorney fees and, in default
of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to
exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or
each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated
shall constitute a separate offense.
