The department and the department of natural resources shall coordinate their sudden oak death syndrome response efforts with other plant pest agencies and private organizations to exchange information, monitor the confirmed incidences of the disease, and take action as appropriate under existing plant pest control authorities to prevent the introduction of the disease into Washington and to control or eradicate the disease if it is determined to be present in the state.

Findings—2003 c 314: "The legislature finds that since 1995 large numbers of oak and tanoak trees have been dying in the coastal counties of California. The legislature also finds that the disease causing the tree loss, which is commonly referred to as sudden oak death syndrome, has, as of July 27, 2003, been confirmed in twelve California counties, and one Oregon county. The legislature also finds that in addition to affecting several species of oak, this disease has been confirmed to affect several plant species common in Washington's forests, including Douglas Fir, big leaf maple, huckleberry, rhododendron, madrone, and manzanita. The legislature recognizes that the state of California and the United States department of agriculture have adopted restrictions on the movement of articles that may host the disease, and the state of Oregon and the Canadian government have adopted restrictions on the importation of potential host articles. The legislature finds that an introduction of sudden oak death syndrome into Washington could cause potential damage to the state's forest health, leading to both economic and ecological losses." [ 2003 c 314 § 7.]