Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The board of pilotage commissioners (BPC) needs a mechanism to provide the Grays Harbor pilotage district with backup pilots on an emergency basis should Grays Harbor pilot availability be reduced and BPC finds that additional pilots are needed in order to protect against the loss of lives, loss or damage to property and vessels, injury to the marine environment, or other harm to public health, safety, or general welfare; and that a new pilot could not be trained through the training program described in WAC 363-116-078 in time to address such risk. A training program for pilots in the Puget Sound pilotage district will be developed by BPC's trainee evaluation committee (TEC) and federal pilotage for the Grays Harbor pilotage district will be required as defined in RCW 88.16.050.

Process for Developing New Rule: Discussion regarding this proposed new WAC section will occur at regular session BPC meetings as well as at TEC meetings. Upon committee review, BPC's assistant attorney general will review proposed language. Stakeholder comments are welcome. Upon review and consideration of recommended revisions, a public hearing will be scheduled pursuant to formal notice requirements.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Jaimie C. Bever, Executive Director, 2901 Third Avenue, Suite 500, phone 206-515-3887, fax 206-515-3906, email BeverJ@wsdot.wa.gov, web site www.pilotage.wa.gov.