Section 1565.70  Administration of Act

a)         Upon receipt of a completed Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Application, the required documentation of coursework, apprenticeship and experience described in Section 1565.20 and a fee of $50, the Department shall issue an Illinois Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Certificate within 45 days or notify the applicant in writing of the reason the certificate was denied. Applicants who have been denied a certificate may re-apply after correcting any deficiencies in their original Application. Persons employed by the State of Illinois shall be exempt from the $50 fee.

b)         Denial of a certificate may be appealed pursuant to 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2530.

c)         Any fees collected under this Part shall be deposited into the Forestry Development Fund.

d)         An Illinois Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Certificate may be revoked pursuant to the procedures described in 17 Ill. Adm. Code 2530 for serious and or continuing violations of the Act or this Part, falsification or misrepresentation on the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Application or supporting documents, or a pattern of negligence in performing the duties of a certified prescribed burn manager.

e)         An organization or individual may petition the Department to approve coursework and training programs as an Illinois Prescribed Burn Manager Course by submitting to the Board a course syllabus, length of course and trainer qualifications demonstrating that the course meets the standards described in Section 1565.20(a)(1).  The Board may require the submitter to provide additional information necessary to evaluate the program.  The Board shall make a recommendation to the Director to approve or not approve the submitted program as an Illinois Prescribed Burn Manager Course.

f)         Periodically, but not less than annually, the Board shall meet to review prescribed burn reports submitted under this Part, review requirements of prescribed burn certification in other states and make a recommendation to the Director on whether other states' certification programs meet or exceed requirements in this Part to receive an Illinois Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Certificate; review this Part and make recommendations to the Director for any needed changes; and prepare reports on prescribed burning at the request of the Director.

g)         The Board may conduct its meetings via conference call or other electronic means provided all participants are in locations open to the public that have been published in compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act [5 ILCS 120].

h)         A quorum of the Board shall be defined as four members.

(Source:  Amended at 36 Ill. Reg. 14415, effective September 5, 2012)