OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state lawmakers are working to find nonlethal ways of managing the wolf population in the state through new legislation.
House Bill 2097 has passed the house and received approval from the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Tuesday.
The bill would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to increase staff resources in Ferry and Stevens counties for response to wolf-livestock conflict. The staff would be coordinating with local livestock producers on the continued implementation of nonlethal deterrents.
According to the proposed bill, funds from the northeast Washington wolf-livestock management grant would be used only for nonlethal resources, including human presence and locally owned and deliberately located equipment and tools.
The bill is still in committee. Next, it goes to the senate floor.