Gray Wolf Management and Conservation in Washington State
| Tracking # |
PRR No. 22766 PRR No. 22759 22759 |
| Submitted | April 17, 2023 |
| Due | June 29, 2023 |
| Est. Completion | July 2, 2024 |
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Communications
From: Jordan Lassiter
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:
Held by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) related to the management and conservation of the gray wolf population in Washington State.
As a concerned citizen, I am interested in understanding the policies and practices that WDFW employs to manage and protect the gray wolf population. I am requesting any records in the possession of the WDFW that pertain to the following:
Wolf population management plans, reports, and studies.
Records of communication between the WDFW and other state or federal agencies, as well as tribal governments and non-governmental organizations, regarding gray wolf management and conservation.
Records related to permits issued by the WDFW for the lethal removal of wolves, including but not limited to applications, authorizations, and reports.
Records related to monitoring and research activities conducted by the WDFW, including but not limited to GPS tracking data and population surveys.
I request that you do not withhold or redact any responsive records, as I intend to pursue all available legal remedies, including filing a lawsuit to compel the production of records, if necessary.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Jordan Lassiter
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
As required by Washington’s Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, this email is in response to your public records request received on April 17, 2023, and assigned PRR No. 22759.
You requested the following:
I am interested in understanding the policies and practices that WDFW employs to manage and protect the gray wolf population. I am requesting any records in the possession of the WDFW that pertain to the following:
(1) Wolf population management plans, reports, and studies.
(2) Records of communication between the WDFW and other state or federal agencies, as well as tribal governments and non-governmental organizations, regarding gray wolf management and conservation.
(3) Records related to permits issued by the WDFW for the lethal removal of wolves, including but not limited to applications, authorizations, and reports.
(4) Records related to monitoring and research activities conducted by the WDFW, including but not limited to GPS tracking data and population surveys.
***Clarification Needed:
Program staff that are seeking records responsive to your request are asking for the following clarifying information:
Please provide a timeframe for this request.
In accordance with RCW 42.56.520, failure to provide clarification may result in the request being closed. Please respond no later than May 1, 2023.
**Please Note: Many of the records you have requested are expected to contain information that is exempt, as provided by the Public Records Act, RCW 42.56<https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.56>. WDFW must apply all required exemptions by redacting sensitive information from records before producing them to requestors. Not only does the Public Records Act apply to WDFW, but many of the records you have requested are expected to also have information that is exempt specifically by RCW 42.56.430<https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.56.430>.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than July 6, 2023.
RCW 42.56.120 provides that agencies may charge fees to recover the cost of producing copies of records when fulfilling public records requests. The fee schedule is available on the WDFW Public Records webpage<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>.
You may contact me by phone at (564) 669-4827 or by email at Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov<mailto:Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov> if you have questions concerning this public records request.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
As required by Washington’s Public Records Act, RCW 42.56, this email is in response to your public records request received on April 17, 2023, and assigned PRR No. 22766.
You requested the following:
I am interested in understanding the WDFW's policies and practices with respect to the management and conservation of wildlife and habitat impacted by fracking activities.
I am requesting any records in the possession of the WDFW that pertain to the following:
(1) Communications and correspondence between the WDFW and other state or federal agencies, as well as industry stakeholders, regarding the impact of fracking on wildlife and habitat in Washington State.
(2) Records related to the permitting process for fracking activities in Washington State, including but not limited to applications, authorizations, and reports.
(3) Records related to monitoring and enforcement activities conducted by the WDFW to ensure compliance with environmental regulations related to fracking.
(4) Records related to the impact of fracking on wildlife and habitat, including but not limited to studies, surveys, and reports.
***Please Note: Hydraulic Fracking was banned in Washington State in 2019, per SB5145<https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2019-20/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Laws/Senate/5145.SL.pdf?q=20230424140936> (RCW 78.52.560<https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=78.52.560>).
The U.S. Energy Information Administration<https://www.eia.gov/> may also have information regarding hydraulic fracking in the United States.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than July 6, 2023.
RCW 42.56.120 provides that agencies may charge fees to recover the cost of producing copies of records when fulfilling public records requests. The fee schedule is available on the WDFW Public Records webpage<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>.
You may contact me by phone at (564) 669-4827 or by email at Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov<mailto:Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov> if you have questions concerning this public records request.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22759.
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email regards your public records request, PRR No. 22759.
Our Electronic Search Specialist conducted an all-agency, electronic record search based on the language of your request.
The search terms and time frame that were used are as follows:
Date Range: No beginning date to April 17, 2023
wolf
wolves
pack
AND
manage*
conservation
report*
studies
study
"lethal removal"
kill*
monitor*
research*
track*
The search resulted in approximately 2.9 million electronic records.
Many of these results appear to be false positives. A false positive is a result which indicates that a certain condition of the search is present, but the document is not relevant to the request itself.
Before we accept the search results and begin our review, we ask that you please provide clarification on the following:
1. Are you willing to consider focusing the search to specific staff members, different date range or different search terms?
2. There will most likely be records responsive to your request that are identical duplicates. Would you like to eliminate duplicative records?
RCW 42.56.120 provides that agencies may charge fees to recover the cost of producing copies of records when fulfilling public records requests. The fee schedule is available on the WDFW Public Records webpage<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>.
Please let me know how you wish to proceed. In order to process your request in a timely manner, we ask that you please respond by July 13, 2023. If we do not hear back from you, then we will proceed with the above search plan. In accordance with RCW 42.56.520, failure to provide clarification may result in the request being closed.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search, review for sensitive information and respond. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than October 12, 2023.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22766.
Program staff are needing more time to search for and review records regarding this request.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than August 23, 2023.
RCW 42.56.120 provides that agencies may charge fees to recover the cost of producing copies of records when fulfilling public records requests. The fee schedule is available on the WDFW Public Records webpage<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>.
You may contact me by phone at (564) 669-4827 or by email at Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov<mailto:Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov> if you have questions concerning this public records request.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good morning, Jordan Lassiter,
This email regards your open public records request, PRR No. 22766.
Here is a link<https://app.box.com/s/w82mosvd039synqwdp6iu4cn5ezq7xvr> to Phase 1 of records responsive to this request, PRR No. 22766. All you need to do is click the link<https://app.box.com/s/w82mosvd039synqwdp6iu4cn5ezq7xvr>. There is no password or login required. Once you have opened a file, you will have the option to view and download the records. The link will expire 30 days after your request has closed. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than October 25, 2023.
RCW 42.56.120 provides that agencies may charge fees to recover the cost of producing copies of records when fulfilling public records requests. The fee schedule is available on the WDFW Public Records webpage<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>.
You may contact me by phone at (564) 669-4827 or by email at Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov<mailto:Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov> if you have questions concerning this public records request.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
-
22766_PH1
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good morning, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22759.
Program staff identified approximately 6,000 physical records that will need to be scanned in order to fulfill part of this request.
According to our Fee Schedule<https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-03/dfw_records_fee_schedule_10.18.pdf>, located on our public-facing WDFW Website<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>, the cost to scan approximately 6,000 records at 15 cents per page would be an estimated total of $900.00.
Before we scan these records, we would need to collect either a deposit of 10% of the total ($90.00) or the entire fee from you. Please respond to this email no later than September 6, 2023 with your decision whether you would like to receive these records and pay the fee.
As provided by RCW 42.56.520, pending your response, this request continues to have an anticipated response date of October 12, 2023.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Jordan Lassiter
Subject: Request for Payment Plan and Proceeding with PRR No. 22759
Hello Jennifer Brown,
I hope this message finds you well. I appreciate your prompt response regarding my public records request, PRR No. 22759. After reviewing the estimated cost of approximately $900.00 to scan the 6,000 records, I would like to explore the possibility of setting up a payment plan for this fee.
Given the nature of my work as an investigative journalist, managing expenses is crucial, and while I'm committed to covering the costs, it would be more manageable for me to make payments over time.
Could you please provide information on whether the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife offers payment plans or if we can discuss a structured payment schedule? I want to ensure that I can receive the requested records while also meeting my financial obligations.
Additionally, if it's possible to proceed with the scanning of the records while we work out the payment plan details, please let me know. This would allow me to start reviewing the materials as soon as possible for my investigative work.
Thank you for your understanding and assistance. I look forward to your guidance on this matter.
Best regards,
Jordan Lassiter
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Dear Jordan Lassiter:
Hello. This email is in response to your public records request, PRR No. 22759.
We have identified an estimated 6,000 physical records responsive to this request that will need to be scanned to an electronic format in order to provide them to you. Please see the attached invoice regarding payment for the release of these records. Please note that a 10% deposit is required before we begin preparing the records. We ask that you please provide payment to the address on the invoice by September 28, 2023. Non-payment may result in the abandonment of these records or the balance of the request. RCW 42.56.120.
Please contact Jennifer Brown by email at jennifer.brown@dfw.wa.gov<mailto:jennifer.brown@dfw.wa.gov> or by phone at (564) 669-4827 if you have questions concerning your request.
Thank you.
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Dear Jordan Lassiter:
Hello. This email is in further response to your public records request, PRR No. 22759.
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email regards your open public records request, PRR No. 22759.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. Pending your invoice payment, anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than December 5, 2023.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Jordan Lassiter
Hello I would like to withdraw the rest of the request from this point thank you
From: Jordan Lassiter
Hello I would like to withdraw the rest of the request from this point thank you
From: Jordan Lassiter
Hello I would like to withdraw the rest of the request from this point thank you
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good evening, Jordan Lassiter,
This email regards your open public records request, PRR No. 22759.
As indicated by your email below (highlighted), you wish to withdraw this request.
This email closes PRR No. 22759.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22766.
Here is a link<https://app.box.com/s/9z826z66hzsdrj6ocbcez0glf9wx4xcb> to Phase 2 of records responsive to this request, PRR No. 22766. All you need to do is click the link<https://app.box.com/s/9z826z66hzsdrj6ocbcez0glf9wx4xcb>. There is no password or login required. Once you have opened a file, you will have the option to view and download the records. The link will expire 30 days after your request has closed. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than December 4, 2023.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
-
22766_PH2
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good morning, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22766.
Program staff need more time to respond to this request. Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than February 2, 2024.
RCW 42.56.120 provides that agencies may charge fees to recover the cost of producing copies of records when fulfilling public records requests. The fee schedule is available on the WDFW Public Records webpage<https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/administration/public-records>.
You may contact me by phone at (564) 669-4827 or by email at Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov<mailto:Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov> if you have questions concerning this public records request.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22766.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than April 11, 2024.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
From: Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife
Good afternoon, Jordan Lassiter,
This email pertains to your open public records request, PRR No. 22766.
Consistent with RCW 42.56.520, additional time is needed to search for records, review for sensitive information, and respond to this request. We anticipate our next response and estimate an installment of records no later than July 2, 2024.
Respectfully,
Jennifer Brown, JD
Public Records Analyst | Public Records Unit
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
MS# 43146
PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98501
Jennifer.Brown@dfw.wa.gov | (564) 669-4827
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