Bill > SB6088

This bill aims to protect public drinking water by requiring publicly owned or operated game farms to manage their animal waste similarly to private agricultural operations. Specifically, it mandates that these state-run facilities, such as those operated by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, must obtain a permit from the Department of Ecology, the state agency responsible for water quality. This permit will either be a general permit for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) – which are facilities that raise a large number of animals and can pose a risk to water quality – or an individual permit if the facility's size or practices warrant it. The bill clarifies that pheasants and similar game birds will now be explicitly included in the definition of animals covered by CAFO regulations. Permit requirements will include developing a manure pollution prevention plan, prohibiting discharges that violate water quality standards, and implementing monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting protocols to ensure manure and nutrient management practices safeguard public health and prevent contamination of groundwater and drinking water wells. The legislation stems from findings that publicly operated game farms, like the Bob Oke game farm, have contributed to nitrate contamination in local drinking water wells, highlighting a gap in current regulations that did not previously extend CAFO permit requirements to these public facilities.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6088&Year=2025&Initiative=false