It will be interesting to see whether state employees and
outside observers settle on more, fewer or the same number of
natural resource agencies than we now have in Washington state. As
I describe in a story in
today’s Kitsap Sun, just about everything is on the table for
review.
When I first moved here in the 1970s, we had a Department of
Fisheries along with a Department of Wildlife. Enforcement officers
were assigned to one agency or the other, but they often rendered
assistance to their fellow officers downstream or out in the
woods.
At some point in the past, I believe the state operated with a
single Department of Fish and Game. Then after trying two agencies
for a number of years, they merged into one again: the Department
of Fish and Wildlife.
This time, we could see a greater shakeup, as Gov. Chris
Gregoire has called for a review of all natural resource agencies.
That means we would add into the discussion these departments:
Ecology, Natural Resources, and Parks and Recreation.
Does it make sense to consolidate agencies for a greater sharing
of limited resources or stay with a greater number of agencies to
hone the mission of the organization. Does one way result in fewer
managers, or do you just trade top-level directors for middle
managers?
Would it be better to have law enforcement officers focused on
specific duties, or should they all be cross-trained to do the same
thing? Should State Patrol officers learn about trees, deer and
fish and help out with poachers in the woods — or is this going too
far?
I don’t know the answers, but I really am interested in the
outcome. The analysis has begun within documents filed on a new
Natural Resources Reform Web page linked from the Governor’s
Web site. It’s clear there’s much work yet to be done.
As for the number of scientists who need to stand in a stream
(see
Water Ways, Sept. 3), I guess some people are promoting the
notion that one person could collect stream data for all three.
Folks at the Puget Sound Partnership have talked about
standardizing water-quality data, for example, but this issue is
more complex than that.
One thing that caught my attention is the number of programs
related to natural resources outside of Fish and Wildlife, Ecology,
Natural Resources, and Parks. These programs may be brought into
one of the agencies resulting from the reorganization. Here are
some of those programs and where they currently reside:
- Shellfish, drinking water and nuclear waste: Department of
Health
- Growth management: Department of Commerce
- Comprehensive land-use plans and ordinances: Growth Management
Hearings Boards
- Rates for energy and solid waste collection: Utilities and
Transportation Commission
- Fines and land-use permitting: Environmental Hearings Office —
including Pollution Control Hearings Board, Shoreline Hearings
Board, Hydraulic Appeals Board, Environmental and Land Use Board
and Forest Practices Appeals Board
For those who have an inclination to delve into this issue,
there are plenty of things to consider.
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