WSR 20-22-088

EMERGENCY RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

FISH AND WILDLIFE

[Order 20-241—Filed November 3, 2020, 10:50 a.m., effective November 3, 2020, 10:50 a.m.]

Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.

Purpose: The purpose of this rule is to add an additional ram (male) bighorn sheep hunt for the Cleman Mountain hunt area (Sheep Unit 7). The hunt dates would be Nov. 4-29 and would include five permits.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-415-120.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.055, 77.12.047, and 77.12.240.

Other Authority: None.

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: Bighorn sheep in the Cleman Mountain herd have recently tested positive for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, which is a bacteria that causes pneumonia in wild bighorn and proves fatal for many of the bighorn that are infected. This pathogen is highly infectious and typically results in substantial die-offs when it first enters wild bighorn herds. The department has already started to receive reports of coughing or dead bighorn within this herd area. Providing hunters with additional opportunities to harvest rams would reduce lost opportunities for hunters as a result of the pneumonia outbreak.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: November 3, 2020.

Kelly Susewind

Director