Committee considers permitting requirements for public game farms after Ecology, WDFW staff briefing

Summary

Substitute House Bill 2343 would require the Department of Fish and Wildlife to obtain water-discharge permits for publicly owned game farms and to treat facilities with more than 5,000 game birds as CAFOs; Ecology's fiscal note identified one facility previously permitted and Fish & Wildlife estimated about $13,000/year to comply for that site.

Substitute House Bill 2343 would require the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to obtain state water‑discharge permits when operating publicly owned facilities that raise wildlife or other animals, and require Ecology to treat facilities with more than 5,000 game birds as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) for permitting purposes.

Jeff Olson summarized NPDES and state permitting authority under the Federal Clean Water Act and said CAFO permits apply when facilities exceed specified animal counts. Ecology’s fiscal note referenced the Bob R. Oak Game Farm as the only known facility in scope and identified about $13,000 per year in compliance costs to WDFW.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about whether the bill would apply only to WDFW or to other publicly owned facilities; staff said the bill inserts the operating provision into Fish & Wildlife’s code and described permit‑related compliance obligations. The committee closed the public hearing on HB 2343 after a limited number of sign‑in commenters and one attempted remote witness who could not connect.