(1) The Washington wildlife rescue coalition is established for the purpose of coordinating the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife injured or endangered by oil spills or the release of other hazardous substances into the environment.

(2) The Washington wildlife rescue coalition shall be composed of:

(a) A representative of the department of fish and wildlife designated by the director of fish and wildlife. The department of fish and wildlife shall be designated as lead agency in the operations of the coalition. The coalition shall be chaired by the representative from the department of fish and wildlife;

(b) A representative of the department of ecology designated by the director;

(c) A representative of the Washington military department emergency management division, designated by the director of the Washington military department;

(d) A licensed veterinarian, with experience and training in wildlife rehabilitation, appointed by the veterinary board of governors;

(e) A lay person, with training and experience in the rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife appointed by the department; and

(f) A person designated by the legislative authority of the county where oil spills or spills of other hazardous substances may occur. This member of the coalition shall serve on the coalition until wildlife rescue and rehabilitation is completed in that county. The completion of any rescue or rehabilitation project shall be determined by the director of fish and wildlife.

(3) The duties of the Washington wildlife rescue coalition are to:

(a) Develop an emergency mobilization plan to rescue and rehabilitate waterfowl and other wildlife that are injured or endangered by an oil spill or the release of other hazardous substances into the environment;

(b) Develop and maintain a resource directory of persons, governmental agencies, and private organizations that may provide assistance in an emergency rescue effort;

(c) Provide advance training and instruction to volunteers in rescuing and rehabilitating waterfowl and wildlife injured or endangered by oil spills or the release of other hazardous substances into the environment. The training may be provided through grants to community colleges or to groups that conduct programs for training volunteers. The coalition representatives from the agencies described in subsection (2) of this section shall coordinate their training efforts and work to provide training opportunities for young citizens;

(d) Obtain and maintain equipment and supplies used in emergency rescue efforts.

(4)(a) Expenses for the coalition may be provided by the coastal protection fund administered according to RCW 90.48.400.

(b) The coalition is encouraged to seek grants, gifts, or donations from private sources in order to carry out the provisions of this section and RCW 90.56.110. Any private funds donated to the commission shall be deposited into the wildlife rescue account hereby created within the *wildlife fund as authorized under Title 77 RCW.

*Reviser's note: The "state wildlife fund" was renamed the "state wildlife account" pursuant to 2005 c 224 § 4 and 2005 c 225 § 4. Subsequently, 2020 c 148 divided the state wildlife account into two separate accounts, the "limited fish and wildlife account" and the "fish, wildlife, and conservation account," effective July 1, 2021.

Effective dates—1992 c 73: See RCW 82.23B.902.

Findings—Severability—1990 c 116: See notes following RCW 90.56.210.