WSR 20-18-102A

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

PARKS AND RECREATION

COMMISSION

[Filed September 2, 2020, 11:49 p.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Ocean beaches, chapter 352-37 WAC.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 79A.05.070.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Staff is opening chapter 352-37 WAC to review and update sections within this chapter that relate to management of the ocean beaches.

ESHB 1261 (chapter 10, Laws of 2020) made changes to the laws regulating motorized or gravity siphoning mining, and current rules under WAC 352-37-340 will need to be updated to align with new legal requirements. Additionally, the WAC regarding the ocean beaches will be reviewed to determine whether rules governing the management of the seashore conservation area need to be updated.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The state parks and recreation commission will coordinate with the department of ecology and the department of fish and wildlife on rule changes related to small-scale beach prospecting and placer mining in WAC 352-37-340, no other agency coordination is anticipated under the remainder of the chapter.

Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; WAC 352-37-340 will be amended to incorporate requirements in ESHB 1261 (chapter 10, Laws of 2020) regulating motorized or gravity siphoning mining.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Matt Niles, SW Region Manager, 1111 Israel Road S.W., phone 360-725-9761, TTY 800-833-6388, email Matt.Niles@parks.wa.gov, website https://parks.state.wa.us/.

September 2, 2020

Valeria Veasley

Management Analyst