WSR 17-20-007 EMERGENCY RULES DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE [Order 17-247—Filed September 21, 2017, 4:36 p.m., effective September 21, 2017, 4:36 p.m.] Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing. Purpose: To restrict goat hunting in the Naches Pass (3-6) and to allow holders of current goat hunting permits in the Naches Pass to obtain reissued permits. Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 220-415-130. 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: Due to recent forest fires in Eastern Washington, the United States Forest Service has closed access to most of the Naches Pass (3-6) mountain goat hunting area. This closure will likely remain in effect for most of the 2017 hunting season. By this emergency rule, the department seeks to allow holders of current mountain goat hunting permits for the Naches Pass mountain goat hunt area to hunt in 2018.
The department has specifically decided to reissue goat hunting permits for the following reasons: (1) The small geographic area in which goat hunts typically occur; (2) the likelihood that the entire Naches Pass will be legally closed to entry during the 2017 hunting season; and (3) the unlikelihood that holders of mountain goat special permits will have to draw a goat permit again in the future. There is insufficient time to adopt permanent rules. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0. Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.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: September 21, 2017. J. W. Unsworth Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-415-13000A Mountain goat seasons and permit quotas.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-415-130, effective immediately, until further notice, the following rules apply:
(1) Due to the recent forest fires in Eastern Washington, the U.S Forest Service has closed access to most of the Naches Pass mountain goat hunt area (3-6, hunt #6002), and it is unlikely that the U.S. Forest Service will re-open access during the rest of the 2017 hunting season.
(2) This rule allows current holders of mountain goat hunting permits for the Naches Pass mountain goat hunting area (3-6, hunt #6002) the option to return their permits to the department, which will then re-issue these permits to the same holders for the 2018 mountain goat hunting season.
Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040. |