insulted-by-arrogant-attitude-of-fish-and-wildlife-officials

[wolfbait]

Kretz insulted by ‘arrogant’ attitude of fish and wildlife officials
By NCBI
Jan 18, 2010, 13:34


In a public hearing in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 12, Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda, was appalled by the attitude of state wildlife official, Steve Pozzanghera, when discussing bills to curb the trend of massive land purchases in the 7th Legislative District.

The committee heard two of Kretz’ bills to help end the mismanagement of noxious weeds on state land, which are spreading to private property (HB 2446), and to require the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to work with local governments to seek approval of land purchases (HB 2485). Both bills were opposed by the DFW and The Nature Conservancy.

“The public hearing was proof the Department of Fish and Wildlife is out of touch with rural Washingtonians,” said Kretz, who serves on the agriculture and natural resources committee. “The Seventh District has enough land ‘conserved’ for wildlife, fishing, hunting and recreation. I wish the department would start buying land in King County the way it has been scooping up property for state lands in Okanogan and elsewhere in our district.”

He noted that 69 percent of state land acquisitions by the DFW last year were in Okanogan County.

“One county cannot take this type of hit,” said Kretz. “How much is enough? Our rural communities are struggling under a depressed economy and the department seems content to scoop up land, taking it off the tax rolls, which hurts local governments, cuts critical services and runs agriculturists out of the county. To top it off, wildlife officials put words in local county commissioners’ mouths when none of them were there to dispute what was being said about their support or rejection of the proposals.”

Kretz feels DFW has an attitude that rural property owners should feel lucky their land is being taken care of by state government. But, he noted, the reason fish and wildlife continues to buy up land in the district is because farmers, ranchers and orchardists keep it pristine.

At one point in the hearing, Kretz told DFW he was insulted by the notion that bureaucrats think they know what’s best for the 7th District. To make matters worse, he said, Steve Pozzanghera is likely going to be appointed as the Region 1 director of DFW, which includes all of Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Lincoln, Spokane, Garfield, Whitman, Walla Walla, Columbia and Asotin counties along with part of Okanogan County.

“The department bragged in the hearing that it received $243,000 for land management in the 2009 budget and the governor’s proposed 2010 budget includes an additional $264,000. This land management funding is in addition to the $50 to $70 million the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program receives in the budget to purchase land.
All the while, the governor is complaining that the budget is ‘unjust,’” Kretz said. “I would suggest the DFW budget is unfair and unjust for the citizens of the Seventh District. If this plan of buying up land is so great, why not share the love in King and Pierce counties?”

Pozzanghera contacted Kretz via e-mail asking to schedule a meeting where they, “dress up in jeans and flannel shirts” to discuss things that were said in the Jan. 12 hearing.

“I’m tired of DFW’s arrogance. I’m tired of them talking down to rural people,” Kretz fumed. “For him to suggest we dress up in jeans and flannel shirts to discuss the insulting business that took place is, on its own, insulting! Most rural people are perfectly able to carry on an intelligent discussion regardless of apparel. Besides, flannel is so ‘out’ in Wauconda this year.”

The Nature Conservancy also testified against Kretz’ bills.
The group, he said, speaks in code words and phrases they think rural folks are too stupid to catch. One code phrase Kretz noticed alluded to moving forward with a “wildlife corridor” through the district, which sounded eerily familiar to the Yukon to Yellowstone (Y2Y) legislation introduced the past several years.

“There are a number of DFW personnel and environmental advocates who have a consistent record of arrogant and insulting comments directed at rural residents, and the officials they elect to represent them. Their message seems to be ‘we are smart, you are stupid and ignorant, and we know what’s best for you.’ Folks, I’ve had enough,” Kretz said. “Every two years, more than 120,000 people have the option to keep me in office, or show me the door. I refuse to have unelected government employees and
environmentalists tell me what’s good for the people of my district when I know what folks want because they are not shy about speaking their minds. My job is to listen to residents in the district – DFW would do itself a favor by doing the same thing.”

Wildlife officials like Pozzanghera should move to Colville and run for office, Kretz suggested, if they think their policies are so popular in the 7th District.

“I don’t mind a discussion, and I’m always game for a healthy debate of ideas, on which we can respectfully disagree. But the words, tone and arrogance displayed by the DFW and The Nature Conservancy during this hearing was unbelievable,” Kretz said. “It was a glimpse of what they
really think of rural citizens.”

Kretz said he’s not backing down on this issue of turning the entire 7th District into, as former governor Mike Lowry called it, a “playground” for the Western Washington elite.
“Enough is enough. I am not going to stand by and have the citizens of the Seventh District, or any other rural part of the state, treated like they are not worth respecting,” Kretz explained. “I hope the folks in the district rise up as well to share their thoughts with the Fish and Wildlife Commission.”

The Fish and Wildlife Commission can be reached at (360) 902-2267 or commission@dfw.wa.gov. Constituents can also contact Fish and Wildlife Director Phil Anderson at (360) 902-2200 ordirector@dfw.wa.gov.

To view the clip, so to http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/news/environment-parks/kretz-insulted-by-arrogant-attitude-of-fish-and-wildlife-officials/ and scroll to the end of the page.

[billythekidrock]

Wow!

I always thought Pozzanghera to be a nice guy.

[Shootmoore]

Interesting, I grew up in Okanogan County, and every year the economy has gotten worse and worse.  Available funds are shrinking, Deer season is getting shorter, snowmobiles are being restricted.  Replaced with the spandex cross country skiers.  People born and raised in the area have a hard time affording housing do to the number of summer homes purchased by Seattlelites. 

Every year tracts of land are purchased by the state, more restrictions placed on property owners.  Now we have the wolf being given to Okanogan County residences.  The big money being created by wildlife, where is it going?  It's not going into the pockets of people living in Wdfw's new "Wildlife Meca".  If that is there goal, which it appears to be by the land acquisitions and by naming it a Meca, I begin to think that they really do have a desire to make it like old Lowry into the playground for western washington.  I guess if you own a Motel and or like to do house cleaning your future is bright in Okanogan County.  If you want to do anything else, better move.

Don't get me wrong here, I don't want to see urban sprawl either, but growing up in Eastern Washington I have the ingrained dislike of being told what to do by the greater Seattle area.  It has always felt like Do as I say, not as I do.  Hard to put my thoughts on this into writing I guess.

Shootmoore

[Wacenturion]

Wow!

I always thought Pozzanghera to be a nice guy.

You just need to get to know them better...lol.

[wolfbait]

Some of you have already realized that the USFWS are mostly made up of environmentalists. The delist, and relisting of the Canadian wolves was just a big funny that both parties played on the public. WDFW are no different. The FEDS did not list the wolves in Washington as endangered, they didn't have to, they knew that WDFWS would. How do you like those inside deals? How long do you think we will be hunting in Washington with an out of control wolf population run by environmentalists?

[billythekidrock]

Wow!

I always thought Pozzanghera to be a nice guy.

You just need to get to know them better...lol.

I hear ya.

[yelp]

I have met Mr. Kretz and I understand his frustrations.  As a representative he deserves respect. I also think that if land with important wildlife habitat is in jeopardy of being developed into housing complexes, recreational lots and this fragments habitats I think it should be saved or managed a certain way. Living in a rural part of the state myself..I don't like seeing progress. As a hunter and taxpayer I'll also hate cattle grazing on the state/federal lands..nothing like going up into the mountains to get fresh air and smelling cow *censored*.  

Okanogan county is home to a million acre reservation (largest landowner),US Forest Service, WADNR, and WDFW (actually smaller of the above) in regards to lands owned/managed.  

Most landowners to do manage property better than the state.  I believe most of properties are purchased with the intent of keeping habitat intact.   I like hunting the Chiliwist and other properties in Okanogan for them turkeys..

[wolfbait]

I have met Mr. Kretz and I understand his frustrations.  As a representative he deserves respect. I also think that if land with important wildlife habitat is in jeopardy of being developed into housing complexes, recreational lots and this fragments habitats I think it should be saved or managed a certain way. Living in a rural part of the state myself..I don't like seeing progress. As a hunter and taxpayer I'll also hate cattle grazing on the state/federal lands..nothing like going up into the mountains to get fresh air and smelling cow *censored*.  

Okanogan county is home to a million acre reservation (largest landowner),US Forest Service, WADNR, and WDFW (actually smaller of the above) in regards to lands owned/managed.  

Most landowners to do manage property better than the state.  I believe most of properties are purchased with the intent of keeping habitat intact.   I like hunting the Chiliwist and other properties in Okanogan for them turkeys..

Hello Yelp, I agree with you, I would rather have the WDFW buy land up instead of having it developed into a house on every ridge with NO Tresspassing signs spaced 10 ft apart. I don't think any of us are going to like what finally ends up happening to the land that wdfw has acquired on down the road. I Really didn't like this part.

(The Nature Conservancy also testified against Kretz’ bills.
The group, he said, speaks in code words and phrases they think rural folks are too stupid to catch. One code phrase Kretz noticed alluded to moving forward with a “wildlife corridor” through the district, which sounded eerily familiar to the Yukon to Yellowstone (Y2Y) legislation introduced the past several years.)


If you haven't heard about the Y2Y you might want to look into it. It is scary as hell. I think the wolf will help to run folks off their land or shut down large lots of land, no public use or very limilted. WDFW are not the same group of people that worked there forty years ago, this is a new breed. Take a look at the link below and tell me what you think. Wolfbait


http://www.takingliberty.us/TLHome.html

[Wacenturion]

There is always two sides to a problem.  First completely agree that critical lands need to be protected for wildlife's sake.  Second I surely understand where Mr. Kretz and people in Okanogan county and elsewhere are coming from.  Both of these are a much easier fix than you might think.  The real problem here is a lack of communication.

Generally Mr. Kretz nor many of his constituents would have a big problem with WDFW owning land for wildlife.  Where the problem arises is that WDFW usually does a piss poor job of taking care of it.............BINGO!  Here he has a legitimate grip.  Then when WDFW officials poo poo him, it gets worse.  Just look at WDFW's wildlife area program...........it's been in a custodial mode since the 40's and 50's.  There was a brief period during the 90's when a newly formed lands division within WDFW focus on department owned lands and public access to private lands.  Take a look at a major project at Scotch Creek Wildlife Area for sharptails in 1992 and what it looks like today.  Riparian zone reestablished and sharptails present....a success.

Furthermore in the Columbia Basin quite a few parcels of small acreages totalling a couple thousand acres were purchased for pheasant habitat restoration at this time.  These sites were managed by field staff dedicated to taking care of them.  At first adjacent landowners were saying the same as Mr. Kretz.  After a year or so, they were basically telling any of their neighbors to sell to WDFW's Upland Wildlife Restoration Program as it was managing these parcels better than they ever were managed in the past.  In fact the Grant County Weed District was using these parcels as examples of how to correctly manage for noxious weeds.  Quite the turn around.  Unfortunately in 1999 WDFW Wildlife Management Program took over that program and has since dismantled it.  If truth be known, that program was making all those pseudo wildlife biologists look bad....fact.

So it's more than talk.  WDFW has to walk the walk.  Until they do, the Mr. Kretz's of the world have more than valid points.  By the way...that flannel shirt comment....just goes to show you that WDFW has always excelled at being condescending to it's constituents.....just like they are to us.    

[yelp]

I have met Mr. Kretz and I understand his frustrations.  As a representative he deserves respect. I also think that if land with important wildlife habitat is in jeopardy of being developed into housing complexes, recreational lots and this fragments habitats I think it should be saved or managed a certain way. Living in a rural part of the state myself..I don't like seeing progress. As a hunter and taxpayer I'll also hate cattle grazing on the state/federal lands..nothing like going up into the mountains to get fresh air and smelling cow *censored*.  

Okanogan county is home to a million acre reservation (largest landowner),US Forest Service, WADNR, and WDFW (actually smaller of the above) in regards to lands owned/managed.  

Most landowners to do manage property better than the state.  I believe most of properties are purchased with the intent of keeping habitat intact.   I like hunting the Chiliwist and other properties in Okanogan for them turkeys..

Hello Yelp, I agree with you, I would rather have the WDFW buy land up instead of having it developed into a house on every ridge with NO Tresspassing signs spaced 10 ft apart. I don't think any of us are going to like what finally ends up happening to the land that wdfw has acquired on down the road. I Really didn't like this part.

(The Nature Conservancy also testified against Kretz’ bills.
The group, he said, speaks in code words and phrases they think rural folks are too stupid to catch. One code phrase Kretz noticed alluded to moving forward with a “wildlife corridor” through the district, which sounded eerily familiar to the Yukon to Yellowstone (Y2Y) legislation introduced the past several years.)


If you haven't heard about the Y2Y you might want to look into it. It is scary as hell. I think the wolf will help to run folks off their land or shut down large lots of land, no public use or very limilted. WDFW are not the same group of people that worked there forty years ago, this is a new breed. Take a look at the link below and tell me what you think. Wolfbait


http://www.takingliberty.us/TLHome.html

Just watched it wolfbait..very interesting brings up valid issues for sure.

I also agree with what Wacenturian said..its a communication issue plain and simple.  Habitat Conservation is a tough one.  I think providing education and assistance to private landowners maybe more valuable and proovide more benefits rather than just purchasing land to preserve habitat.  If you ignore habitat degredation you then are also ridiculed for not doing anything.  Incentives and programs to educate and assist landowners maybe the ticket.  Not sure.

[wolfbait]

Monday, February 25,2008

Y2Y is no joke

Y2Y land grab bill hearing Feb. 27

Legislation to authorize the creation of the Yukon

to Yellowstone wildlife corridor (Y2Y) that would engulf

2,000 miles of land is scheduled for a public hearing in

Olympia, Washington, on Wednesday, February 27th at

1 :30 p.m. in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources

Committee.

Rep. Joel Kretz opposes the legislation and is hoping

7th District residents will show up in force to voice their

opposition.

The massive Yukon to Yellowstone land grab bill

(Senate Bill 5318) would require U.S. Fish and Wildlife

officials to work with their Canadian counterparts to

protect a massive wildlife corridor known as the Yukon

to Yellowstone Eco-Region. The 2,000-mile-long swath

includes the entire northeast corner of Washington,

most of Idaho and much of Montana.

"This isn't a joke. This is the 1-5 corridor crowd's

idea of 'one Washington'," said Kretz, R-Wauconda.

"Environmental groups were in Olympia this year asking

for money to buy land as one part of the two-part approach

to the Y2Y corridor. Seventh District folks need to be

here, too. I'm very concerned that if lawmakers don't

hear from anyone but me and the other lawmakers in

the district, the bill might get to the governor's desk. It

would be devastating to all of us. Once the out-of-town

environmental groups own the district, they'll tell us what

we can and can't do on our land, and property values will

plummet."

Kretz believes the corridor's creation would

strangle rural communities with new regulations and run

families off their lands out of their homes.

"A vast series of new land regulations will be

imposed to control land use, jeopardizing private property

rights and economic growth," he said. "'As a rancher,

how will I comply with possible new regulations on how

I can graze cattle? And, how will I protect my family,

pets and livestock from dangerous predators once all the

protections are put in place? This plan is nuts."

http://www.glasgowmontana.com/geg/02252008.pdf

With Defenders of Wildlife running WDFW and the lack of management of predators it would appear that Y2Y is still on the burner.

[Axle]

why not share the love in King and Pierce counties?”

Why? Because the deptmnt of fish and wolves isn't interested in an empty county. They let cougars eat up most of the animals in these counties. Would you buy into such a mess after that? I sure wouldn't! There are places on the east side that still have a few animals left in them that aren't hanging out in town or on private 'un-huntable' land. Most of the elk on the wet side are hanging out on private land and in towns due to predators.

Besides, King county is making as much as possible into parks. These parks are closed to hunting too. One section at a time. One rule at a time.

These areas that still contain a few critters should be Cedar county, but due to a corrupt government in King county, we are still not annexed. I guess you might have to live here to know about this part of what I'm saying. King county has been extremely corrupt for a long time now. Very sad!

[bearpaw]

Joel Kretz is a very good man and very representative of our district. He stays in close contact with his constituents and listens to our input. One of the big problems is that our counties are heavy with public land (no tax base) and to keep taking land from the limited private land tax base is like robbing these counties of badly needed revenue for basic services.

Another point I want to make, how many of you want to hunt private land instead of poorly managed public land. I hear it all the time how the hunting is so much better on private land and I agree. 20 years ago I outfitted hunters almost exclusively on public land, but the management has been so poor, now we outfit almost exclusively on private land here in WA. Supply and demand dictates that the cost to hunt private land will increase even more rapidly as more private lands are converted to public lands.

[Okano-gun]

I don't know about federal land but the WDFW does pay In leiu Money to counties for the property in these counties because they are not on the tax rolls. In most cases the In leiu money is more than what the county would recieve if the property was on the tax rolls.

[yelp]

I don't know about federal land but the WDFW does pay In leiu Money to counties for the property in these counties because they are not on the tax rolls. In most cases the In leiu money is more than what the county would recieve if the property was on the tax rolls.

This is true. Counties receive payments in lieu of taxes from the state (i.e. wdfw) and they are supposed to be divided amongst the taxing districts.  I don't think the tribes do this? or other federal agencies for that matter..I could be wrong.