Subject: Re: Gutting of Conservation License
Date: Jan 20 06:15:07 1998
From: "Scott Hall" - whall at silverlink.net


Obviously, you are not aware of what the CONSERVATION LICENSE is or why it
came into being. It was, is, and always has been a fee that is paid as
part of the license fee for both hunting and fishing to pay for public
lands (hunting) and access (boat launches) for the purposes of these
communities. Others use these properties GRATIS (skiers, jet skiers,
swimmers, birders) and somehow think that they pay for them, WRONG!!!!!!
The fee has been $5.00 since its inception, and during the first year
involved a decal. The money has supposedly always been earmarked for the
purposes above, but soon after it was initiated somehow became part of the
GENERAL FUND. The reason for decals is to show who has and who has not
paid to use the properties that the money is used to acquire and maintain.
So, if you want to use it you have to PAY for it.
Scott Hall
whall at silverlink.net

----------
> From: Martha Jordan <marthaj at premier1.net>
> To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> Subject: Gutting of Conservation License
> Date: Wednesday, January 21, 1998 9:20 AM
>
> Hello,
> WDFW has submitted legislation to recodify many of the RCW (laws)
relating
> to wildlife and fisheries, including the licensing regulations. One of
> these is the Conservation License. It is attached here as a plain text
> file I downloaded directly off the legislative web page www.leg.wa.gov.
> This is HB2819.
> What this revision does is remove the personal conservation license and
> substitute a vehicle use permit. On the surface it sounds good, but read
> on... If you purchase a hunting or fishing (any type) license you get a
> decal as part of your fee. Otherwise you must purchase a vehicle use
> permit decal for $10 (the non-hunter/fisher people who drive cars). This
> only applies to areas that are "an improved access facility" defined as
an
> area specifically created for motor vehicle parking, and includes any
boat
> launch or boat ramp associated with the parking area, but does not
include
> the Gorge Concert Center.
> The funds MAY ONLY BE USED "solely for the stewardship and maintenance
of
> department improved access facilities".
> What this really means is that we, as the non-hunting public, will no
> longer be providing funding for wildlife habitat or management
activities.
> All the funds will go ONLY to improved access site operation and
> maintenance. There are many sites that are not yet "improved" that need
> our dollars. This also means that your dollars will also be shared
between
> wildlife areas and all the marine lands (formerly fisheries) that
currently
> do not share from the Conservation License funds. The management of
Marine
> Lands and their access areas have been less than cooperative when it
comes
> to wildlife matters. Yet, it appears that they will share in the use of
> these funds, most likely for shellfish areas.
> I was told less than 5 weeks ago that this RCW was not up for
> recodification. Then last week I was told yes, and they wanted a decal
> system. This morning at 10:00 a.m. I was informed by WDFW that it was
not
> yet submitted to the legislature. As you can see from the date - it was
> read today in the House.
> It appears that WDFW does not want to consider public imput on this
matter
> and it pushing this bill through quickly before anyone in the
conservation
> community even is aware that it exits and the history behind it. It is
> likely not as benign as it appears.
>
> HB2819 has been referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. If you
> have concerns please e-mail me directly and let your legislators know who
> you feel about this sudden change in regulations that not be what it
> appears on the surface.
>
> This is your voice, your money.
>
> Martha Jordan
> marthaj at premier1.net
>