012202101gaslandtwo_specialprovisions.pdf

SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR THE “GAS LAND TWO” CUTTING PROJECT

S.G.L. # 12

1) ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS

a) All project activity, (felling, skidding, & trucking), is restricted to the defined sale area.

b) Except for seasonally opened gates, PGC gates are always to be kept closed and locked except when the contractor is present on the site. Repeated failure to close gates will be penalized.

c) If site conditions in the project area (for felling, skidding, or trucking) or the use of the haul road become wet and/or muddy in the opinion of the Regional Forester or his designee, all phases of the job will be suspended until working conditions are judged favorable.

d) A natural gas pipeline runs along part of both blocks 1 and 2. There are existing pipeline crossings to all blocks. However, if the operator wants to cross the pipeline at additional locations, they will need to contact Energy Transfer prior to work being started. Energy transfer will be responsible for construction of any additional pipeline crossing locations.

Contact Doug Speerstra Energy Transfer Project manager, 570-926-5278.

e) Buyer is not guaranteed exclusive use of the haul roads for this project.

f) Whole tree chipping is permitted as specified in paragraph (2).

g) No on-site sales of firewood to the general public is allowed.

2) BOUNDARIES, BLOCKS, AND CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS

a) Timber sale boundaries are marked by 2 blue stripes, except for places where the road is the block boundary. No trees marked with blue are to be cut.

a) No cutting or skidding is permitted in the reserve areas.

b) Whole tree harvesting is permitted in all blocks but is not required.

c) Cull portions of the tree are to be left at the stump.

d) Any reserved trees that are felled for safety reasons must be left at the stump.

e) Extra caution should be taken to avoid felling damage or skidding damage to reserved trees.

3) US / STATE / LOCAL ROADS

a) Contractor will be responsible for all permits and bonds on both state and township roads.

4) GAME LAND ROADS TO BUILD / IMPROVE

a) The operator will be required to maintain and retire the existing game land roads in an ‘as-is-or-better’ condition throughout the contract period. Once hauling begins, the contractor will apply appropriate quarry stone to the haul road as necessary to sustain heavy hauling.

b) Erosion and Sedimentation control structures will be in place and operable.

1. All Erosion and Sediment control structures will be in place and maintained throughout the duration of the contract.

c) The road contractor will notify the Regional Forester or his designee three days prior to final grading of roads and/or landings.

d) A road grader or a bulldozer with a six-way blade will be required for final grading of existing road only. The operator will crown, ditch, and stone rake all existing roads used to a minimum 12' running surface or to the roadway original width, whichever is wider.

Ditches and other drainage structures must be opened and re-established where needed.

The road must also be crowned to drain all water into the ditches and culverts. All piles of surface side cast shall be graded level by feathering it back into the road berms and/or road surface during final grading. Road berms will be graded to a mowable contour.

5) LANDINGS

a) All landing location will be chosen by the operator but must be approved by the Regional

Forester or his designee.

b) Parking lots and herbaceous openings cannot be used for log landings.

c) At the conclusion of the sale, all landings will be graded, leveled, cleared of debris, stone raked sufficiently for use as mowed fields, and seeded according to specifications outlined in Section 7 below.

d) Stumps, stones, wood chips and other debris on the edges of all landing areas used will be moved off the landing area and spread out into the surrounding woods.

6) SKIDDING

a) Skid trails will be approved by the Regional Forester or his designee.

b) No skidding across small drainages will be permitted without the use of temporary bridges.

c) Skidders are to be kept off haul roads. No skidding or use of forwarders is permitted on the haul road.

d) Wet areas should be avoided when skidding and any treetops which are felled into small wet areas should be left in the water rather than pulling them out.

e) If skid trails are to sit idle for one month or more, they are to have water bars added.

f) Main skid trails are to be leveled, open and have water bars added at the conclusion of the harvesting.

7) SEEDING OF ROADWAYS AND LANDINGS

a) At the conclusion of the sale, all landings used, as well as all other disturbed areas along game land roads are to be leveled, cleared of rocks and debris, stone raked and seeded according to the following:

5 lbs. per acre of White Dutch clover (inoculated) 50 lbs. per acre of Oats (spring) 50 lbs. per acre of Wheat (fall)

A minimum of 1 acre is to be seeded at the conclusion of the sale.

b) Seeding will include ditch lines and all disturbed areas.

c) Spring planting may be performed Until June 15th. The fall planting may be performed during the period from August 15th to September 15th.

1. If any seeding is performed outside of the seeding dates, a guaranteed catch of seeding must be obtained to the satisfaction of the Regional Forester or his designee.

d) Regional Forester or his designee is to be notified a minimum of three days prior to the application of seed.

e) All bulldozed skid trails are to be seeded with wheat or oats depending on the time of seeding.

f) Guaranteed catch of cover must be obtained to the satisfaction of the Regional Forester or his designee before the bond will be released.

9) SAFETY AND LOGGER TRAINING

a) The Buyer, his employees and sub-contractors are expected to perform all logging operations in a safe manner as required by applicable laws and regulations. The Commission expects the Buyer to ensure that logging crewmembers dress in protective attire, and perform their duties with equipment, in accordance with standards established by the logging industry and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

b) The PGC recommends that logging crews working on State Game Lands be trained in safe logging techniques and sound environmental logging practices though a formal training program such as the one provided by the Pennsylvania Sustainable Forestry Initiative or another similar course.

10) PNDI RECOMMENDATIONS

a) A PNDI review was performed on 10-5-2020.

1. No known impacts exist relating to this project.

11) MISCELLANEOUS

a) The contractor will provide weight slips for stone and receipts for all stone and seed to the

Regional Forester.

b) If possible, the operators will clean all equipment and vehicles thoroughly to remove invasive plant species from being transported from other sites.

c) Violation of contract provisions by the operator may subject the operator or its employees or contractors to fine based on Title 58 regulations.