More Government By Stealth?

As reported in this post last November, WDFW is proposing to criminalize the removal of such things as "dead standing timber, live trees, wood, soil, petrified wood, minerals, fossils, (and) plants" from "WDFW lands."

Information just received indicates that at the meeting on December 4, 2010 the Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to postpone the adoption of WDFW's proposed amendment to WAC 232-12-251 until their March 4-5, 2011 meeting. During the interim period, WDFW is supposed to work with stakeholders to refine the proposed rule changes. According to WDFW's Rules Information Website, a "supplemental CR-102 will be filed by January 19, 2011" and "(p)rior to that time, the department will work with stakeholders to refine the proposed rule changes."

In addition, the website further states:

A new public comment period will begin on January 19, 2011. Written comments will be due by February 25, 2011. Written comment may be e-mailed to lori.preuss@dfw.wa.gov.

Interestingly enough, our information is that, contrary to the above, "there have been no meetings with stakeholders and a supplemental (CR-102) has not been filed."

For these reasons, it would seem prudent for miners to "contact Lori Preuss at (360) 902-2930 or lori.preuss@dfw.wa.gov and request to be informed of any rule making activity associated with WAC 232-12-251"as well as checking WDFW’s Rules information Website often.