Wyoming Legislative Efforts

1. WyomingLegislative Efforts ‘We aspire to be like Idaho!’

2. State of Wyoming Efforts • May 12th 2009: • Meeting with WYG&FD and Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee (TRW) in Cody, WY • TRW is 1 of 12 Joint Interim Committees in State of Wyoming Legislature • Purpose of meeting was to review budget and address several issues

3. Director Steve Ferrell and Mike Stone, Chief of Fisheries, from WYGFD presented to the TRW committee • Information presented: • Status of AIS in four state region (CO, ID, MT, WY) • Potential levels of WYG&F response, ranging from existing efforts to full scale prevention, surveillance, eradication • Associated costs with different response levels • Comparison of nearby states authorities

4. -Testimony offered: • WYG&F Commission member, David Sweet of TU • BoB Wharff ED from Sportsmen for Fish & Wildlife (SFW) • Bobbie Frank, ED of Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts (WACD) • Other Correspondence: • Mike Stone commented that other correspondence (letters of support, other) to legislators was helpful. Committee members did mention that letters were received. Thank you for making these contacts prior to the meeting! • Response from TRW Committee • High level of concern • Variety of questions asked and suggestions offered Supporting efforts

5. TRW Committee unanimously voted to move forward with drafting legislation to provide authority and resources to WYG&F to address threat of AIS • Plan was to have draft legislation prepared for a August 2009 meeting

6. Note: (Draft legislation and full meeting minutes from these meetings are available online on the Wyoming legislative website: http://legisweb.state.wy.us )

7. August ’09 meeting between WYGFD & TRW Committee: • Mike Stone, Fish Division Director, explained the draft bill to the committee.    • The bill prohibits the carrying of aquatic invasive species and gives the department authority to enforce the prohibition.  • The committee discussed that the bill lacked provisions for strict enforcement.

8. Committee discussed whether the bill should require mandatory stops.  • Several legislators indicated that failure to require mandatory stops leaves the state too open to invasion.  • The committee suggested the bill should require mandatory stops and require a sticker of inspection before any boat can put in to Wyoming waters.  • There was discussion about how this enforcement is possible with waters that cross state lines and national park lines.  • The committee asked the agency to come back to the next meeting with a bill with zero tolerance and that includes a fee for the inspection of all boats.  • The committee directed the agency to consult with department of agriculture and department of transportation to get them involved and to share the costs.   • The committee also asked that the bill include the increased penalties to cover intentional introduction of non-native species.

9. How can you participate? • The WYFGD will be bringing a revised version to the next meeting which is scheduled for Nov. 6 in Saratoga. • You can participate in the Nov 6th meeting in Saratoga: • provide testimony or observe • Comment to your WY legislators on the draft that is available. (available online ) • Note: Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts has adopted a position, in general terms, to support the bill providing resources and authority to WYG&FD

10. Summary of the draft legislation: • Focuses on providing authority to establish and operate check stations to inspect conveyances (at state borders and throughout the state). • Provides authority to peace officers to require decontamination or can impound and quarantine contaminated conveyances

11. National Legislative Efforts • Efforts were made at National Invasive Species Awareness Week, 2009 to contact US Senators & Representatives to fully fund the National Invasive Species Act from the current ~1 million level to the full level of ~4 million. • This was a relatively new topic so we worked both at education and lobbying • Follow up work in Wyoming included informational conference call with Representative Lummis’ and Legislative Director Rick Axthelm (April 2009). • Participants included Mike Stone, Bob Wiltshire of CANS, Elizabeth Brown ANS Coordinator, CO Division of Wildlife • (Rob Sgroi, “sorry if I left anyone off”) • Requests to have a similar meeting with Senators Enzi and Barrasso have not yet been met

12. National Legislative Efforts • In 2009, GYCC supported efforts at National Invasive Species Awareness Week to provide full appropriations for National Invasive Species Act . • Since then the Western Regional Panel has developed a Quagga-Zebra Mussel Action Plan in May 2009, that proposed increasing National Invasive Species Act to $30 million • GYCC members have recommended “our future interactions with legislators should refer to the interagency efforts of the WRF and their collective knowledge and leadership in the AIS issue…”

13. National Legislative Efforts • Are any GYCC members attending National Invasive Species Awareness Week in January 2010? • What direction can GYCC provide attendees? • Information needs to be provided to legislators ahead of time regarding GYCC’s position/ requests