Act Now Today: Wolf legislation update

[bearpaw]

Now is the time to call or email to help get wolf legislation passed, legislative meetings are on Wednesday, March 20 at 8:00 a.m.
Also please attend the Colville Wolf meeting.



ACTIONS TO TAKE:
1. Call the Legislators Below at their number and tell them to pass the wolf bills SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193.
2. Send a short email message to the Natural Resources Committee
3. Send any photos, stories, and info to Shelly Short



House Natural Resources Committee & Shelly Short  (Copy and Paste Email List)

brian.blake@leg.wa.gov; vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov; kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov; christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov

_______________________________________________


Please also send any additional photos, sightings, stories, problems, and any other wolf info to Shelly so she can use it to help get these bills passed out of the House, they have already passed the Senate.

E-mail: shelly.short@leg.wa.gov
Web site: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/short

Olympia Office (January-April)
(360) 786-7908 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Representative Shelly Short
436 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

_______________________________________________


Rep. Short’s Update from Olympia: Wolf legislation update (3/18/13)

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We need your help!  There will be a public hearing on important wolf management legislation this Wednesday, March 20 at 8:00 a.m. in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.  The majority party in the House refused to pass any meaningful wolf management legislation.  However, the Senate Majority Coalition approved two bills sponsored by my seatmate, Sen. John Smith:

SSB 5187 – would allow livestock and domestic animal owners to kill a wolf if it poses an immediate threat to the animals.
E2SSB 5193 – would create a dedicated account to reimburse livestock owners for the value of any animals killed by wolves.

We need you to contact the members of the committee (especially the Democrat members) and let them know why we need this legislation in northeast Washington.  If you can make the trip to Olympia to testify with your stories, concerns, pictures, etc. – that would be fantastic!  But I know most of you are unable to take time off of work and make the long drive to Olympia.  If you can send us your statements and any photos you have, we’ll make sure it gets entered into the official record.  This will help us put the pressure on the majority party in the House to pass this legislation!
My contact information is at the bottom of this e-newsletter.  Here is the information for the committee members:

Blake, Brian (D) Chair
LEG 437A
(360) 786-7870

Lytton, Kristine (D) Vice Chair
JLOB 310
(360) 786-7800

Chandler, Bruce (R) *
LEG 427B
(360) 786-7960

MacEwen, Drew (R) **
JLOB 431
(360) 786-7902

Buys, Vincent (R)
JLOB 465
(360) 786-7854

Dunshee, Hans (D)
JLOB 314
(360) 786-7804

Haigh, Kathy (D)
JLOB 320
(360) 786-7966

Hurst, Christopher (D)
JLOB 335
(360) 786-7866

Kretz, Joel (R)
LEG 335A
(360) 786-7988

Orcutt, Ed (R)
JLOB 408
(360) 786-7990

Pettigrew, Eric (D)
LEG 434B
(360) 786-7838

Schmick, Joe (R)
JLOB 432
(360) 786-7844

Stanford, Derek (D)
JLOB 318
(360) 786-7928

Van De Wege, Kevin (D)
LEG 434A
(360) 786-7916

Warnick, Judy (R)
LEG 122C
(360) 786-7932
 
Here is the agenda for the meeting:
 
Agriculture & Natural Resources* – 03/20/13 8:00 am
Full Committee
House Hearing Rm B
John L. O’Brien Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED on 3/14/2013 at 3:02 PM

Public Hearing:
1.   SSB 5187 – Protecting domestic animals against gray wolf attacks.
2.   SSB 5786 – Requiring certain information in commercial fishing guide license applications.
3.   SB 5337 – Modifying expiration dates affecting the department of natural resources’ timber sale program.
4.   ESSB 5663 – Regarding derelict and abandoned vessels in state waters.
5.   E2SSB 5193 – Concerning gray wolf conflict management.

Executive Session:
1.   SB 5139 – Concerning milk and milk products.
2.   SB 5377 – Extending the program establishing Christmas tree grower licensure.
3.   SSB 5634 – Clarifying the department of natural resources’ authority to enter into cooperative agreements.
4.   SSB 5760 – Providing compensation for commercial crop damage caused by bighorn sheep.
 
With your help, we were able to get the Department of Fish and Wildlife to hold wolf management meetings in Cusick, Colville and Okanogan.  The meetings were packed and wildlife officials heard a strong message from the people who have to deal with wolves on a continual basis.  In fact, DFW announced today another wolf meeting in northeast Washington:

NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
March 18, 2013
WDFW schedules meeting in Colville on wolves’ impact on game species

OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public meeting March 27 in Colville to discuss the potential impact of wolves on area game species such as deer and elk.
 
The meeting is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Colville Ag Trade Center, 317 West Astor Ave.

State and local WDFW wildlife managers will present information on monitoring efforts in northeast Washington along with population trends and harvest data for white-tailed deer, elk and moose. They’ll also discuss the status of wolves in the region and the impact wolves have had on deer and elk populations in other western states.

Dave Ware, WDFW game manager, said the department has not yet documented any measureable impacts from wolves on game species in Washington, but recognizes that reports from other states have raised public concerns.

“We want to talk to people in northeast Washington about this issue, because that’s the area of the state that has the largest number of wolves,” Ware said. “We’d encourage area residents who have concerns to attend this meeting.”

I appreciate you staying involved in this issue.  I look forward to receiving information that will help us pass Sen. Smith’s legislation.

Sincerely,
Shelly Short

[bearpaw]

ACTIONS TO TAKE:
1. Call the Legislators Below at their number and tell them to pass the wolf bills SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193.
2. Send a short email message to the Natural Resources Committee
3. Send any photos, stories, and info to Shelly Short



House Natural Resources Committee & Shelly Short  (Copy and Paste Email List)

brian.blake@leg.wa.gov; vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov; kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov; christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov



Please also send any additional photos, sightings, stories, problems, and any other wolf info to Shelly so she can use it to help get these bills passed out of the House, they have already passed the Senate.

E-mail: shelly.short@leg.wa.gov
Web site: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/short

Olympia Office (January-April)
(360) 786-7908 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Representative Shelly Short
436 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

[bearpaw]

House Natural Resources Committee & Shelly Short  (Copy and Paste Email List)

brian.blake@leg.wa.gov; vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov; kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov; christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov

Please pass the wolf bills SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193

Dear Natural Resource Committee Members,
I have lived in Northeast Washington my entire life and I cannot remember any issue that has polarized our area in the same way that wolves are. I am a fulltime hunting guide and have been guiding hunters since 1977, I know the area extremely well. In areas where we have wolf packs our deer, moose, and elk are beginning to disappear. As natural prey disappears wolves will be forced to eat other animals. I live only 2 miles form Colville yet only 2 miles from my home my neighbors German Shepherd dogs were attacked by 5 wolves, fortunately the dogs were in a kennel, the landowner had to shoot in the air to scare the wolves away. Other neighbors to the south of us have to watch their kids wait for the school bus because wolves have been spotted several times and they fear for the safety of their children. An elderly lady who used to walk everyday now is afraid to go outside after wolves have been seen several times by her neighbors. The McIrvin family has suffered huge cattle losses exceeding $100,000, they say they cannot support that kind of loss again.

The most serious problem is that wolves are now established and problems are going to increase further. The people of this state were promised that wolves would be managed and we would be able to protect ourselves. The time has come for the legislature to take care of the people who are bearing the full burden of wolves and suffering these losses.

Please pass the wolf bills SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193

Respectfully,

[mulehunter]

Will do....

Scott,
 
I support both bills. Indeed, you do have the right to protect your family, pets and livestock. But I do feel like all of these do-gooder Seattle people who are the ones demanding wolf re-establishment in Washington should help pay for your losses when it is at the jaws of the wolves they want.
 
Ed

Dear Scott,

 

Your assessment is correct.  Wolves have been allowed to establish themselves in Washington State and the WDFW does not have the stomach to "manage" these critters.  Jim Beers has commented that you must remove a minimum of 30% of the breeding animals to maintain a level population.  That won't happen under present circumstances.

 

Rep. Shea will do all that he can to push for these bills, you can be certain of that.


 

Warm regards,

 
Jim Robinson
Legislative Assistant to
Matt Shea
State Representative
4th Legislative District

[bearpaw]

Dear Dale and Tara,

Thank you writing in to share your support for SB's 5187 and 5193. The House companions, HB's 1191 and 1219, did not receive a vote out of committee in February, and were not able to be considered by the full House before last week's cutoff. Currently, SB's 5187 and 5193 are scheduled to receive a public hearing in the House Agriculture and Natural Recourses Committee. As a member of that committee, I look forward to hearing the testimony, and having a further discussion with my colleagues on this important issue.

Please take time to write or call whenever you have a comment, a question or an idea to share.  We are always pleased to be of assistance.

Very Truly Yours,

Drew MacEwen
State Representative
35th Legislative District

__________________________________________


Dale and Tara,

I support both bills. Indeed, you do have the right to protect your family, pets and livestock. But I do feel like all of these do-gooder Seattle people who are the ones demanding wolf re-establishment in Washington should help pay for your losses when it is at the jaws of the wolves they want.

Ed

Representative Ed Orcutt
20th Legislative District

[denali]

done

[huntrights]

EMERGENCY ACTION ALERT: Immediate support needed for SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193


Please contact the House Natural resources Committee immediately and ask them to support wolf bills SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193.  Both bills are critically important to ensure proper management of the rapidly expanding wolf population and to compensate ranchers and other citizens for the damage they do. 


Link to SB 5187 - Protecting livestock against predator attacks.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5187&year=2013


Link to SB 5193 - Concerning large wild carnivore conflict management.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5193&year=2013



Representative Shelly Short has also requested the following:

Please also send any additional photos, sightings, stories, problems, and any other wolf info to Shelly so she can use it to help get these bills passed out of the House, they have already passed the Senate.

E-mail: shelly.short@leg.wa.gov
Web site: www.houserepublicans.wa.gov/short

Olympia Office (January-April)
(360) 786-7908 or Toll-free: (800) 562-6000

Representative Shelly Short
436 John L. O’Brien Building
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600




I would encourage you to write your own words in your message, particularly if you have had personal experiences with wolves.

However, I will share an example message if you would like to use some, or all of its content.


Copy and paste email list for the House Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Shelly Short:

brian.blake@leg.wa.gov; vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov; kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov; christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov


Subject:
Please support SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193


Message:

Dear House Natural Resources Committee:

I am writing today to respectfully ask that you support SSB 5187 - Protecting livestock against predator attacks, and E2SSB 5193 - Concerning large wild carnivore conflict management.  Most of the people aggressively promoting the reintroduction of wolves into Washington do not have to deal directly with consequences of wolf proliferation in our state.  As with many issues, the people on the west side of the state (i.e. Seattle down to Olympia) dictate to the people on the east side of the state how to live their lives and are basically forcing wolves into their back yards.  Wolves are large apex predators; they are not cute puppy dogs as much of the pro-wolf propaganda would have the general public believe.  Wolves will prey on wild animals (i.e. elk, deer, moose, etc.), domestic livestock (i.e. cattle, sheep, etc.), domestic pets (i.e. dogs), and although rare in United States, they will also attack humans.  It would be good to observe that wolves have not had a significant presence in the United States during the past century; that would obviously reflect on wolf-human attack statistics during this period.  I also would like to ask the question, “Why are wolves considered endangered when there are over 60,000 of them in Canada and Alaska?”  The people that are being forced to deal with the consequences of the proliferation of wolves do not want the wolves threatening their livestock, domestic animals, their family, or themselves.  The majority of the people that want and support wolf reintroduction in our state do not have to deal with the consequences of their presence.  There is obviously an injustice being imposed on the rural communities on the east side of the Cascades.  Please do not allow this injustice to continue; please support SSB 5187 and E2SSb 5193 and represent all of the people of Washington.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

[bearpaw]

message from Senator Smith (sponsor of bills)

Thanks Dale!
Great letter.

Senator John Smith

[bearpaw]

PLEASE SEND MESSAGES NOW

I just got another message back, we might be able to get these bills passed if more people will send messages.

Thank you for contacting me about the wolf legislation currently in the House.  I am in support of SSB 5187 because it allows owners of livestock to kill a gray wolf if it is attacking or threatening their livestock or another domestic animal.  I think it is important for people to be able to protect their livestock from harm and to protect their livelihood.

E2SSB 5193 is another wolf bill and it is different than any that we have already heard in the House.    I am going to support this bill as well.  I do believe that owners of livestock should be able to claim compensation for damages by wolves.  This is funded through the State Wildlife Account.  So often times when cattle are up on their summer pasture which is often higher in the mountains, livestock are more exposed to wolf predation.  If there are loses of livestock, this bill will allow specific dollar compensation for the loss of livestock.

If these bills continue to move through the process and reach me for my consideration, I do intend to support both pieces of legislation.

I appreciate hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Joe Schmick

[bearpaw]

House Natural Resources Committee & Shelly Short  (copy and paste email list)

brian.blake@leg.wa.gov; vincent.buys@leg.wa.gov; bruce.chandler@leg.wa.gov; kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov; drew.macewen@leg.wa.gov; hans.dunshee@leg.wa.gov; kathy.haigh@leg.wa.gov; christopher.hurst@leg.wa.gov; joel.kretz@leg.wa.gov; ed.orcutt@leg.wa.gov; eric.pettigrew@leg.wa.gov; joe.schmick@leg.wa.gov; derek.stanford@leg.wa.gov; kevin.vandewege@leg.wa.gov; judy.warnick@leg.wa.gov; shelly.short@leg.wa.gov


(copy and paste subject)
Please Pass SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193


(copy and paste message, adjust as desired)
Dear Natural Resource Committee Members,

Residents and ranchers in rural areas need to be able to protect their pets and livestock when attacked by wild animals. One Washington family has already suffered huge cattle losses exceeding $100,000, they cannot support that kind of loss again. Wolves are now well established in Eastern Washington and problems are going to increase further as they have in other states. The people of Washington were promised that wolves would be managed and they would be able to protect themselves. The time has come for the legislature to take care of the people who are bearing the full burden of wolves, please help to reduce further losses.

Please pass the wolf bills SSB 5187 and E2SSB 5193

Respectfully,

[Special T]

Its important to keep hammerning away on this issue since there seems to be some momentum froth eattack in the Methow. 

[shredder4286]

Since that bill was voted on at 8 am this morning- anybody hear what happened?

[huntrights]

I believe they just had the public hearing this morning.

[Elkaholic daWg]

I believe they just had the public hearing this morning.

 SURE DID...anybody close go?

 
Here is the agenda for the meeting:
 
Agriculture & Natural Resources* – 03/20/13 8:00 am
Full Committee
House Hearing Rm B
John L. O’Brien Building
Olympia, WA
REVISED on 3/14/2013 at 3:02 PM

Public Hearing:
1.   SSB 5187 – Protecting domestic animals against gray wolf attacks.
2.   SSB 5786 – Requiring certain information in commercial fishing guide license applications.
3.   SB 5337 – Modifying expiration dates affecting the department of natural resources’ timber sale program.
4.   ESSB 5663 – Regarding derelict and abandoned vessels in state waters.
5.   E2SSB 5193 – Concerning gray wolf conflict management.

[bearpaw]

Send more messages, the only way this can make it is if we show support.