To Our Readers

Happy New Year!

The Washington State Miner

would like to take this opportunity

to

thank you for visiting our blog

and to wish you

A Healthy and Prosperous Year

in

2016

WDFW Inviting Comments on HPA Program

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) invites interested parties to comment on the new Hydraulic Project Approval program.  The Hydraulic Code rules were extensively updated in 2014 by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission, the same year in which WDFW introduced a simplified permitting system and online application process.

According to a December 21 news release, "Jeff Davis, assistant director of WDFW’s Habitat Program, said the department welcomes comments on recent updates to those rules, efforts to streamline the permitting process, and other aspects of the HPA program."

The news release further noted that "(s)tate habitat managers also plan to discuss the future of the program with tribal and other governmental representatives, environmental groups, business organizations and others involved in HPA issues, Davis said." (Emphasis added.)  Dare we assume that the "others involved in HPA issues" includes members of the small-scale prospecting and mining community?

To insure that it does, readers of this blog are encouraged to submit their comments via email to hpaprogramideas@dfw.wa.gov by April 15, 2016.

Those wishing additional information on the permitting process may visit WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/hpa/.

Those wishing to read the WDFW news release quoted above may do so here.