By STEVE BROWN
Capital Press
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a measure that compensates livestock owners for wolf-related losses.
The signing came on May 21, the final day for the governor to act on measures adopted during the regular session of the Legislature.
Sen. John Smith, R-Colville, introduced Senate Bill 5193 to establish a wildlife account and a new wolf-livestock conflict account. As the state Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to support wolf recovery, he said, a funding source will now be in place to help offset damages from inevitable conflicts.
Specifically, the new law:
* Increases the state's personalized license plate fee by $10, effective Oct. 1, with the proceeds to support WDFW's efforts to monitor wolf recovery and prevent wolf-livestock conflict in collaboration with farmers, ranchers and local governments, and to compensate livestock owners. The Department of Licensing estimates the fee will raise more than $1.5 million during the upcoming two-year budget cycle.
* Allows WDFW to compensate livestock owners for their losses at the current market value of the animals.
* Permits compensation regardless of whether livestock owners were raising the animals for commercial purposes.
* Revises other elements of state law to make it more consistent with the state's 2011 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
"As a whole, ranchers are committed to using non-lethal methods to deter wolves and other predators," Smith said. "However, it has been proven time and time again that wolves are persistent, unpredictable and often unfazed by fladry or fencing when they set their sights on livestock. This gives ranchers protection when their livelihoods are at stake."
Fladry consists of red flags or pennants attached to a piece of twine or thin rope at regular intervals, whose movement in the wind is intended to frighten the wolves away.
"The gray wolf population is recovering quickly in Washington," Inslee said. "This bill received bipartisan support from legislators across the state because it represents a practical, realistic approach to minimizing wolf-livestock conflict while recognizing the need for fair compensation to ranchers and farmers."
SB5193 was the only wolf-related legislation to clear the Legislature, passing in the House of Representatives by a vote of 96-2 and the Senate by a vote of 43-1.
However, on April 26, a few days before the Legislature adjourned, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission issued an emergency ruling that allows farmers and ranchers to kill wolves attacking their livestock.
SB5187, which had proposed that permission, received public hearings but died in the House, prompting a bipartisan group of legislators to request action from the commission. The emergency rule is in effect for 120 days and can be reinstated once. The department plans to use the time it is in effect to develop a permanent rule identical or similar to the rule.
Also on May 21, Inslee signed House Bill 1552, sponsored by Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, which aims to reduce metal theft by expanding criminal penalties, creating a database to determine if a potential sell has a criminal conviction and prohibiting cash transactions without specific documentation.
Farmers and ranchers supported the bill because they have had to deal with the added expense and work of replacing stolen irrigation pipe.
On May 20, Inslee signed into law SB5767, which requires the state Department of Agriculture, upon request by a licensed milk producer, to issue an official individual identification tag (green tag) for bull calves and free-martins under 30 days of age. That bill, sponsored by Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, passed the House 96-0 and the Senate 46-2.
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Capital Press
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Jay Inslee has signed into law a measure that compensates livestock owners for wolf-related losses.
The signing came on May 21, the final day for the governor to act on measures adopted during the regular session of the Legislature.
Sen. John Smith, R-Colville, introduced Senate Bill 5193 to establish a wildlife account and a new wolf-livestock conflict account. As the state Department of Fish and Wildlife continues to support wolf recovery, he said, a funding source will now be in place to help offset damages from inevitable conflicts.
Specifically, the new law:
* Increases the state's personalized license plate fee by $10, effective Oct. 1, with the proceeds to support WDFW's efforts to monitor wolf recovery and prevent wolf-livestock conflict in collaboration with farmers, ranchers and local governments, and to compensate livestock owners. The Department of Licensing estimates the fee will raise more than $1.5 million during the upcoming two-year budget cycle.
* Allows WDFW to compensate livestock owners for their losses at the current market value of the animals.
* Permits compensation regardless of whether livestock owners were raising the animals for commercial purposes.
* Revises other elements of state law to make it more consistent with the state's 2011 Wolf Conservation and Management Plan.
"As a whole, ranchers are committed to using non-lethal methods to deter wolves and other predators," Smith said. "However, it has been proven time and time again that wolves are persistent, unpredictable and often unfazed by fladry or fencing when they set their sights on livestock. This gives ranchers protection when their livelihoods are at stake."
Fladry consists of red flags or pennants attached to a piece of twine or thin rope at regular intervals, whose movement in the wind is intended to frighten the wolves away.
"The gray wolf population is recovering quickly in Washington," Inslee said. "This bill received bipartisan support from legislators across the state because it represents a practical, realistic approach to minimizing wolf-livestock conflict while recognizing the need for fair compensation to ranchers and farmers."
SB5193 was the only wolf-related legislation to clear the Legislature, passing in the House of Representatives by a vote of 96-2 and the Senate by a vote of 43-1.
However, on April 26, a few days before the Legislature adjourned, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission issued an emergency ruling that allows farmers and ranchers to kill wolves attacking their livestock.
SB5187, which had proposed that permission, received public hearings but died in the House, prompting a bipartisan group of legislators to request action from the commission. The emergency rule is in effect for 120 days and can be reinstated once. The department plans to use the time it is in effect to develop a permanent rule identical or similar to the rule.
Also on May 21, Inslee signed House Bill 1552, sponsored by Rep. Roger Goodman, D-Kirkland, which aims to reduce metal theft by expanding criminal penalties, creating a database to determine if a potential sell has a criminal conviction and prohibiting cash transactions without specific documentation.
Farmers and ranchers supported the bill because they have had to deal with the added expense and work of replacing stolen irrigation pipe.
On May 20, Inslee signed into law SB5767, which requires the state Department of Agriculture, upon request by a licensed milk producer, to issue an official individual identification tag (green tag) for bull calves and free-martins under 30 days of age. That bill, sponsored by Sen. Brian Hatfield, D-Raymond, passed the House 96-0 and the Senate 46-2.
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