Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.

     Purpose: To amend WAC 232-28-273 to change the applicant requirements for the Huckleberry Range B moose hunt; and to change the superscript designation from "Huckleberry Range B^c" (applicants must be eligible to purchase a sixty-five years of age or older permit application) to "Huckleberry Range B^b" (applicants must possess a disabled hunter permit).

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 232-28-27300D; and amending WAC 232-28-273.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.12.047.

     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: The department has provided antlerless moose hunting opportunity to seniors as well as to hunters with disabilities. This particular hunt, Huckleberry Range B, has been provided to both groups in the past. There was some confusion by the department this year, and the information published in the hunting pamphlet was different than what was adopted in the WAC. This amendment makes the WAC consistent with the hunting pamphlet and, therefore, consistent with the special permit hunt that hunters applied for during May 2012. This change preserves the general welfare of the public by aligning the hunt they applied for with the rule.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: October 2, 2012.

Philip Anderson

Director

     The applicant requirements for the Huckleberry Range B moose hunt changes from the superscript designation of "Huckleberry Range B^c" (applicants must be eligible to purchase a 65 years of age or older permit application) to "Huckleberry Range B^b" (applicants must possess a Disabled Hunter Permit).

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     The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed effective on October 2, 2012, at 11:59 p.m.:

WAC 232-28-27300D

2012-2014 Moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat seasons and permit quotas.