OLYMPIA, Wash. — Governor Inslee has signed legislation introduced by a local legislator to tighten the release of data relating to sensitive animal populations.
The law makes Department of Fish and Wildlife species counts, information, and locations confidential, except to researchers, preventing its release to 3rd parties.
Republican Representative Luanne Van Werven of Lynden says this protects both the animals and property rights of private landowners who may, for example, have wolf dens on their property.
“The last thing we want to do is to have people go out and try to find these dens and endanger the species,” she says.
Van Werven says it was a unanimous vote in both the House and Senate.