Bill would require watercraft used outside of WA to be inspected 4/17 Update

[bigtex]

So I am trout fishing in Idaho on a Sunday and want to drive home. How do I get written documentation before I can go home? Washington state officials to decide what type of documentation is required, inspection and documentation to occur in Idaho, prior to crossing into Washington?

Under the bill WDFW has to determine what type of documentation is required. The documentation is not set right now. It will be up to WDFW if they will accept another state's inspection and how recently it must have happened.

And who honestly thinks that this inspection can be done in a timely fashion at any hour of the day. Stupid unrealistic law IMHO. Can we make it any more inconvenient for Washington sportsmen?

Well actually WDFW have been conducting these inspections for about 5 years now. There are certain times where it will say along the highway "all vehicles trailering boats must exit". If you don't you are stopped and cited.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jul0111a/

So Idaho is OK with this, to keep their inspection sites open to all users 24/7/365 and all ready to inspect and certify a clean boat and trailer?

I never said Idaho is going to be the only source to get inspected. WSP is trained and already does inspections at their Ports of Entry. If this bill passes WDFW has to set up a lot of the program.

It was stated that the bill would require inspection prior to entry to Washington.

All of the official discussion has been around using WSP owned/operated Port of Entry weigh stations

[KFhunter]

I go fishing in Canada once in a blue moon and when I return to the US there is no inspection for snails/etc that I am aware of.   Also, lake Roosevelt gets a lot of Canadian boaters. 

Wonder how that will work?

[arees]

Bigtex,

I understand that you are discussing inspections inside Washington at weigh stations, but this is what is in the bill (which I assume was not actually written by you):

Sec 1 (3) (b) A person who enters Washington by road transporting any commercial or recreational watercraft that has been used outside of Washington must have in his or her possession documentation that the watercraft is free of aquatic invasive species.

It would appear that by the time you reach a weigh station or inspection point in Washington, you have entered Washington.  At work we us the motto "words mean stuff, different words mean different stuff."  What does "enters Washington" mean in the legislative sense because you seem to be implying that it doesn't mean "enters Washington" as most people would read it?

They could have written that you have to have be inspected prior to entering or at the nearest inspection station upon entering Washington, but that is not what is in the bill.

[bearpaw]

I did not read the whole topic so maybe I missed something!

I spend a lot of time in Utah so I hear a lot about these invasive mussels, they are a huge problem that is costing Utah and other states dearly. They actually plug up dam and irrigation equipment, plus any waters that get infested with these invasive species are robbed of nutrients and fish populations suffer, they are a very serious problem.

I must agree the spread of these mussels and snails needs attention before they become established in WA waters, I'm not sure if this law is quite the right way.

It places requirements on boat owners but does not seem to offer solutions. 

[bigtex]

Bigtex,

I understand that you are discussing inspections inside Washington at weigh stations, but this is what is in the bill (which I assume was not actually written by you):

Sec 1 (3) (b) A person who enters Washington by road transporting any commercial or recreational watercraft that has been used outside of Washington must have in his or her possession documentation that the watercraft is free of aquatic invasive species.

It would appear that by the time you reach a weigh station or inspection point in Washington, you have entered Washington.  At work we us the motto "words mean stuff, different words mean different stuff."  What does "enters Washington" mean in the legislative sense because you seem to be implying that it doesn't mean "enters Washington" as most people would read it?

They could have written that you have to have be inspected prior to entering or at the nearest inspection station upon entering Washington, but that is not what is in the bill.

I know what you are saying. I am just saying that if you watch the legislative hearing you will see legislators and WDFW saying inspections can occur at really two places; outside the state at inspection places or WA weigh stations at ports of entry. Port of entry weigh stations are only those just inside the state border, not those in the middle of the state.

[bigtex]

I must agree the spread of these mussels and snails needs attention before they become established in WA waters, I'm not sure if this law is quite the right way.

It places requirements on boat owners but does not seem to offer solutions. 

The law is very similar to other states. In some states you have to get your boat inspected each time you launch, even if you never left the state. At many launches in Colorado for example there are people working the launch, you get checked prior to launch and when you exit the lake.

[bearpaw]

How do people know where to get these certificates/inspections?

[huntnphool]

How do people know where to get these certificates/inspections?

Like I said in a earlier post, there was a big lighted sign over I-90, you couldn't miss it, requiring any boats to pull over for inspection, I would imagine you would get one after being inspected and cleared.

[KFhunter]

this sounds like a massive PIA

We got too many launches to stick a person there to "work the launch",  so they'll close the launch if a person isn't there?

When I enter WA I don't want to drive 100+ miles out of my way to hit a major highway with state port of entry scales, that would suck hard and honestly I wouldn't do it.


This law just has a huge suck potential.

[KFhunter]

How do people know where to get these certificates/inspections?

Like I said in a earlier post, there was a big lighted sign over I-90, you couldn't miss it, requiring any boats to pull over for inspection, I would imagine you would get one after being inspected and cleared.

SO when I go fish arrow lakes I'm suppose to drive all the way down to I-90 to "get inspected",  no 

If I'm entering the US on highway 25 / 97 / 395 / 21 / 31  where would I be inspected? 

I also come into WA on  hwy 20 through Newport/Oldtown  - there is a stop there for Idaho but it's infrequent and only eastbound.
 
what I do then?

[bearpaw]

How do people know where to get these certificates/inspections?

Like I said in a earlier post, there was a big lighted sign over I-90, you couldn't miss it, requiring any boats to pull over for inspection, I would imagine you would get one after being inspected and cleared.

Sorry, maybe I missed something, what I meant is how and where do you get an inspection before you enter the state?

Senate Bill 5702 would require a person entering WA and towing watercraft used outside of WA to have documentation that the watercraft is free of aquatic invasive species (AIS). It was introduced on 2/11, had a hearing on 2/19, and went up for committee vote on 2/21

WDFW will adopt rules to implement the document requirement, including the type of documentation.

If you fail to obtain documentation it will be a natural resource infraction, not a criminal offense.

[Knocker of rocks]

If I'm entering the US on highway 25 / 97 / 395 / 21 / 31  where would I be inspected? 

I think the WaDOT has a Port of Entry at those location.

How about Canada?  There isn't a Port or scale house north of Bow Hill

[arees]

Bigtex,

I understand that you are discussing inspections inside Washington at weigh stations, but this is what is in the bill (which I assume was not actually written by you):

Sec 1 (3) (b) A person who enters Washington by road transporting any commercial or recreational watercraft that has been used outside of Washington must have in his or her possession documentation that the watercraft is free of aquatic invasive species.

It would appear that by the time you reach a weigh station or inspection point in Washington, you have entered Washington.  At work we us the motto "words mean stuff, different words mean different stuff."  What does "enters Washington" mean in the legislative sense because you seem to be implying that it doesn't mean "enters Washington" as most people would read it?

They could have written that you have to have be inspected prior to entering or at the nearest inspection station upon entering Washington, but that is not what is in the bill.

I know what you are saying. I am just saying that if you watch the legislative hearing you will see legislators and WDFW saying inspections can occur at really two places; outside the state at inspection places or WA weigh stations at ports of entry. Port of entry weigh stations are only those just inside the state border, not those in the middle of the state.

So what this amounts to is that we should trust WDFW that they are not intending to implement the law as they wrote it.  We should take it on faith that they will do something other than what they wrote and it will be good for us.

1) Will inspections be available at all ports of entry 24/7?
2) How far out of their way does a returning boater need to go to comply with this bill?
3) If I drive by an inspection station that is closed can I just drive on with a clear conscience?

Proposing a law that does not mean what it says and has no practical way of being implemented does not seem to be a good way to build trust.  I have spoken with the local game warden where I hunt on several occasions and he seems like a decent guy.  I think the department is letting him down.

[ICEMAN]

So I am trout fishing in Idaho on a Sunday and want to drive home. How do I get written documentation before I can go home? Washington state officials to decide what type of documentation is required, inspection and documentation to occur in Idaho, prior to crossing into Washington?

Under the bill WDFW has to determine what type of documentation is required. The documentation is not set right now. It will be up to WDFW if they will accept another state's inspection and how recently it must have happened.

And who honestly thinks that this inspection can be done in a timely fashion at any hour of the day. Stupid unrealistic law IMHO. Can we make it any more inconvenient for Washington sportsmen?

Well actually WDFW have been conducting these inspections for about 5 years now. There are certain times where it will say along the highway "all vehicles trailering boats must exit". If you don't you are stopped and cited.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jul0111a/

So Idaho is OK with this, to keep their inspection sites open to all users 24/7/365 and all ready to inspect and certify a clean boat and trailer?

I never said Idaho is going to be the only source to get inspected. WSP is trained and already does inspections at their Ports of Entry. If this bill passes WDFW has to set up a lot of the program.

It was stated that the bill would require inspection prior to entry to Washington.

All of the official discussion has been around using WSP owned/operated Port of Entry weigh stations

Well this is a bit misleading IMHO. For soime reason your post lead me to believe that that boaters would be required to have documentation upon entering... How is this possible using WSP scales when in another state?

Senate Bill 5702 would require a person entering WA and towing watercraft used outside of WA to have documentation that the watercraft is free of aquatic invasive species (AIS). It was introduced on 2/11, had a hearing on 2/19, and went up for committee vote on 2/21

WDFW will adopt rules to implement the document requirement, including the type of documentation.

If you fail to obtain documentation it will be a natural resource infraction, not a criminal offense.

This program would be similar to those in Idaho and other states.

WDFW is in favor of the legislation

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2013&bill=5702

We all want clean waters, but how about increasing the penalties ten fold for those in violation of  and focusing efforts on current law, rather than inconveniencing every normal guy with new rules and new fees? I would rather money spent on more education and enforcement of current laws, not more FTE's and enforcement power.

[lokidog]

We all want clean waters, but how about increasing the penalties ten fold for those in violation of  and focusing efforts on current law, rather than inconveniencing every normal guy with new rules and new fees? I would rather money spent on more education and enforcement of current laws, not more FTE's and enforcement power.

iCE, THIS WOULD BE TOO EASY AND NOT REQUIRE 287 (just a made-up number, it will probably be higher) NEW STATE EMPLOYEES.   

This is actually a great idea.  All they need to do is step up the random inspections about 4X and increase the penalty for having any invasive on their boat to $10,000 with no reductions.   Of course, this might only require 10 new employees.