EMERGENCY RULES
FISH AND WILDLIFE
Purpose: Amend wildlife rules.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 232-12-021.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.240.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.
Reasons for this Finding: Recent scientific results published in emerging infectious diseases confirms the infective agents of chronic wasting disease (CWD) can transfer from decomposing carcasses into the environment. The research conducted by scientists from Colorado and Wyoming showed that those infective agents in the soil can infect healthy deer. There is insufficient time to promulgate permanent rules.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: December 21, 2004.
Evan Jacoby for
Jeff Koenings
Director
(1) To import or possess deer or elk, or parts thereof, harvested in Colorado, Wyominq, Utah, New Mexico Wisconsin, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Saskatchewan. with the following exceptions:
(a) Meat that has been deboned in the state or province where it was harvested and is imported as boned out meat;
(b) Skulls and antlers, antlers attached to the skull plate, or upper canine teeth (buglers, whistlers, ivories) from which all soft tissue has been removed;
(c) Hides or capes without heads attached;
(d) Tissue imported for use by a diagnostic or research laboratory;
(e) Finished taxidermy mounts. Violation of this subsection (1) is punishable under RCW 77.15.290.
(2) To fail to notify the department within twenty-four hours if an importer or receiver of deer or elk is notified by a state or province that a harvested animal has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. Violation of this subsection is an infraction punishable under RCW 77.15.160.
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Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.