BILL REQ. #:  H-1092.1 

Read first time 02/24/2003.   Referred to Committee on Fisheries, Ecology & Parks.

     TO THE HONORABLE GORDON CAMPBELL, PREMIER OF THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, AND TO THE HONORABLE JOYCE MURRAY, MINISTER OF LAND, WATER AND AIR PROTECTION, PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, AND TO THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, It is the understanding of the Legislature of the State of Washington that the Province of British Columbia is considering the release of grizzly bears near our common border, with full knowledge that the natural range of grizzly bears will extend well into the United States; and
     WHEREAS, It is the understanding of the Legislature of the State of Washington that the natural range of grizzly bears can be extensive, up to three hundred square miles for females and five hundred square miles for males (as reported in the brochure entitled "North Cascades Grizzly Bear Outreach Project," which was printed and published with assistance from the following contributors: The United States Fish and Wildlife Service; the United States Forest Service; the National Park Service; the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife; the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee; the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance; and the Defenders of Wildlife); and
     WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Washington desires to protect its citizens from the many dangers and economic costs likely to result from any augmentation, introduction, transplantation, or release of grizzly bears near the border shared by the United States and the Province of British Columbia; and
     WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Washington recognizes that the laws of Washington, as determined by a Senate vote of 44 to 5 and a vote of the House of Representatives of 96 to 0, clearly prohibit the transport, transplantation, importation, or introduction of grizzly bears into the State of Washington (RCW 77.12.035); and
     WHEREAS, The laws of the State of Washington require the Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission to protect and encourage the natural regeneration of native grizzly bear populations in suitable areas with suitable habitat (RCW 77.12.035); and
     WHEREAS, It is further our understanding that environmental organizations from the United States have funded and encouraged British Columbia's implementation of a grizzly bear release program near the United States border in an attempt to gain defacto reintroduction or augmentation of grizzly bears into the United States, thus depriving our citizens of public notice and comment opportunities that the laws of Washington State and the United States require prior to such a release;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully request that the Province of British Columbia refrain from releasing grizzly bears in locations where the range of the released bear is likely to extend into Washington State. If the Province of British Columbia determines that the release of grizzly bears is necessary, the Legislature of the State of Washington respectfully requests that British Columbia obtain, record, and transmit, in a timely manner, DNA samples from each released grizzly bear to the Director of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. The Legislature of the State of Washington also requests that British Columbia implant each released grizzly bear with a microchip containing, at a minimum, the date and location of original capture, the date and location of any release, and DNA tracking information specific to that individual grizzly bear and that this information, and documentation recording each of the actions described above, be transmitted in a timely manner to the Director of the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Gordon Campbell, Premier of the Province of British Columbia, Canada, the Honorable Joyce Murray, Minister of Land, Water and Air Protection, Province of British Columbia, Canada, and the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.