H-1759.1

HOUSE BILL 2097

ByRepresentatives Kretz, Chapman, Springer, Blake, Pettigrew, Dent, Schmick, Dye, Maycumber, Wilcox, and Corry

AN ACT Relating to addressing statewide wolf recovery; amending RCW 16.76.020; adding a new section to chapter 77.36 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

(2) The wolf plan requires that the department of fish and wildlife conduct a review of the effectiveness of the plan's implementation every five years. The legislature finds that because the regional recovery goals have been exceeded in the eastern Washington recovery region, but not yet in other regions, it is timely for the department of fish and wildlife to conduct a periodic status review in accordance with WAC 220-610-110 sections 7 and 8 and recommend to the state fish and wildlife commission whether a change in status is warranted.

(3) Furthermore, the legislature recognizes that management of wolf-livestock conflict is key to both wolf recovery and public acceptance of wolves in rural areas and that as the wolf population grows, and even after it achieves recovery, stable and adequate funding for nonlethal wolf deterrence will be needed to support livestock producers and the livestock industry and minimize the need for lethal removal of wolves. As such, it is the intent of the legislature, regardless of the listing status of gray wolves, to continue to sufficiently fund nonlethal deterrents for minimizing depredation of livestock by wolves. Proactive deterrence and community collaboration, as set forth in RCW 16.76.020, are necessary to reduce conflict between wolves and livestock and will be important for maintaining the economic viability of the livestock industry, the state's wolf populations, and public acceptance of wolves in northeast Washington after wolves have recovered and have been delisted.

(4) Further, the legislature intends to expand funding and personnel resources in the department of fish and wildlife for similar nonlethal deterrent efforts to mitigate conflicts statewide, as wolves recover in the remainder of the state beyond northeast Washington.

(2) If the review required under subsection (1) of this section finds that the gray wolf is no longer in danger of failing, declining, or no longer vulnerable to limited numbers, disease, predation, habitat loss or change, or exploitation, the state fish and wildlife commission shall consider whether a change in listing status is warranted either:

(a) Statewide; or

(b) In any area of the state where the gray wolf was removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife, maintained by the secretary of the United States department of the interior under the federal endangered species act, prior to June 30, 2014.

(3) The action in subsection (2) of this section may only occur if it does not impede recolonization and recovery in the rest of the state.

(4) The state fish and wildlife commission's consideration of the listing status of gray wolves as required by this section must be completed by June 30, 2020.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 77.36 RCW to read as follows:

The department shall increase staff resources in Ferry and Stevens counties for response to wolf-livestock conflict on an ongoing basis and for coordination with livestock producers on the continued implementation of proactive nonlethal deterrents.

Sec. 4. RCW 16.76.020 and 2017 c 257 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The northeast Washington wolf-livestock management grant is created within the department. Funds from the grant program must be used only for the deployment of nonlethal deterrence resources in any Washington county east of the crest of the Cascade mountain range that shares a border with Canada, including human presence, and locally owned and deliberately located equipment and tools.

(2)(a) A four-member advisory board is established to advise the department on the expenditure of the northeast Washington wolf-livestock management grant funds. Advisory board members must be knowledgeable about wolf depredation issues, and have a special interest in the use of nonlethal wolf management techniques. Board members are unpaid, are not state employees, and are not eligible for reimbursement for subsistence, lodging, or travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as board members. The director must appoint each member to the board for a term of two years. Board members may be reappointed for subsequent two-year terms. The following board members must be appointed by the director in consultation with each applicable conservation district and the legislators in the legislative district encompassing each county:

(i) One Ferry county conservation district board member or staff member;

(ii) One Stevens county conservation district board member or staff member;

(iii) One Pend Oreille conservation district board member or staff member; and

(iv) One Okanogan conservation district board member or staff member.

(b) If no board member or staff member qualifies under this section, the director must appoint a resident of the applicable county to serve on the board.

(c) Board members may not:

(i) Directly benefit, in whole or in part, from any contract entered into or grant awarded under this section; or

(ii) Directly accept any compensation, gratuity, or reward in connection with such a contract from any other person with a beneficial interest in the contract.

(3) The board must help direct funding for the deployment of nonlethal deterrence resources, including human presence, and locally owned and deliberately located equipment and tools. Funds may only be distributed to nonprofit community-based collaborative organizations that have advisory boards that include personnel from relevant agencies including, but not limited to, the United States forest service and the Washington department of fish and wildlife((, or to individuals that are willing to receive technical assistance from the same agencies)).

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