Bob Oke game farm relocation

AN ACT Relating to protecting the quality of public water 1
supplies by directing the relocation of the Bob Oke game farm; adding 2
new sections to chapter 77.12 RCW; and creating a new section.3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that protecting 5
public health and the safety of municipal and private drinking water 6
supplies is a fundamental responsibility of the state. In 2024 and 7
2025, groundwater monitoring conducted by Lewis county, the city of 8
Centralia, and the department of fish and wildlife identified nitrate 9
concentrations in multiple private drinking water wells in the Fords 10
Prairie area that exceeded the federal maximum contaminant level for 11
nitrates. Subsequent investigation, including the Bob Oke game farm 12
groundwater investigation completed in November 2025, confirmed that 13
manure generated by pheasants at the Bob Oke game farm contributes to 14
nitrate loading in the underlying aquifer serving residential and 15
municipal water users.16
The legislature further finds that the Bob Oke game farm is 17
located over a highly productive and hydrologically sensitive aquifer 18
system that flows toward residential and municipal water supply 19
areas. While the department of fish and wildlife has taken steps to 20
reduce nutrient loading and has committed to voluntary participation 21
S-4274.1
SENATE BILL 6322
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator Braun
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in the department of ecology's concentrated animal feeding operation 1
permitting program, the legislature finds that continued operation at 2
the current site presents an ongoing risk of future impacts to 3
drinking water supplies that cannot be fully mitigated through best 4
management practices alone. 5
The legislature therefore declares that it is in the public 6
interest to move the Bob Oke game farm to an alternate location 7
where pheasant rearing and associated operations can be conducted 8
without risk of contaminating municipal or residential drinking water 9
sources. The legislature intends to require the department of fish 10
and wildlife, in coordination with the department of enterprise 11
services, to identify a suitable alternate site within a swift and 12
reasonable time frame, to develop a relocation plan that ensures 13
continuity of wildlife management functions, and to commence the 14
orderly wind down of operations at the current site.15
It is further the intent of the legislature to ensure that the 16
existing site is remediated to protect groundwater quality, to 17
prevent further nitrate loading to the aquifer, and to restore the 18
property for future use consistent with the protection of public 19
water supplies and surrounding communities. The legislature intends 20
that state agencies model best practices for environmental 21
stewardship, transparency, and accountability in managing public 22
lands and facilities. 23
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 77.12 24
RCW to read as follows: 25
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter 26
unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 27
(1) "Alternate location" means a site or sites identified for the 28
relocation of pheasant rearing and associated operations that, based 29
on hydrogeologic, land use, and water supply analyses, do not pose a 30
material risk of contaminating municipal or residential drinking 31
water supplies. 32
(2) "Bob Oke game farm" means the pheasant rearing and release 33
facility owned and operated by the department located in Lewis county 34
near Centralia. 35
(3)(a) "Public water system" means any system providing water for 36
human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, 37
including any collection, treatment, storage, or distribution 38
facilities under control of the purveyor and used primarily in 39
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connection with the system. "Public water system" includes collection 1
or pretreatment storage facilities not under control of the purveyor 2
but primarily used in connection with the system, including:3
(i) Any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution 4
facilities under control of the purveyor and used primarily in 5
connection with such system; and 6
(ii) Any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under 7
control of the purveyor which are primarily used in connection with 8
such system. 9
(b) "Public water system" excludes a system serving only one 10
single-family residence and a system with four or fewer connections 11
all of which serve residences on the same farm. 12
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 77.12 13
RCW to read as follows: 14
(1) The department, in coordination with the department of 15
enterprise services, shall identify one or more alternate locations 16
suitable for the relocation of the Bob Oke game farm. The department 17
shall first determine whether a property that the department 18
currently owns or manages is suitable for relocation of the Bob Oke 19
game farm. 20
(2) In identifying alternate locations, the departments shall:21
(a) Conduct or obtain a hydrogeologic assessment of each 22
candidate site to evaluate the potential for nutrient, manure, or 23
other operational impacts to groundwater, surface water, and 24
municipal or residential drinking water supplies; 25
(b) Evaluate proximity to existing public water systems, wellhead 26
protection areas, and critical aquifer recharge areas;27
(c) Consider access, infrastructure needs, land availability, 28
zoning and land use compatibility, and the ability to maintain 29
wildlife management and release functions; 30
(d) Consult with affected local governments, water utilities, 31
tribes, and conservation districts; and 32
(e) Estimate the cost, timeline, and logistical requirements for 33
relocation to each candidate site. 34
(3) All expenses incurred for assessments, studies, evaluations, 35
and analyses conducted under this section must be paid from existing 36
appropriations and resources of the department and the department of 37
enterprise services. Nothing in this section authorizes the 38
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departments to seek or expend new appropriations for the purpose of 1
site assessment or evaluation. 2
(4) By December 31, 2026, the department and the department of 3
enterprise services shall submit a joint relocation report to the 4
governor and the appropriate committees of the legislature. The 5
report must include: 6
(a) A summary of sites evaluated and the criteria used;7
(b) Identification of a preferred alternate location;8
(c) A proposed acquisition or leasing strategy;9
(d) A schedule for transition of operations; 10
(e) Estimated capital and operating costs; and11
(f) Any statutory or budgetary actions required to complete the 12
relocation. 13
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 77.12 14
RCW to read as follows: 15
(1) Within 60 days of the effective date of this section, the 16
department shall commence the relocation process by initiating 17
procurement, site acquisition or leasing actions, and operational 18
transition planning for the preferred alternate location identified 19
in the report required under section 3 of this act.20
(2) The department shall complete the relocation of pheasant 21
rearing and associated operations to the alternate location no later 22
than 36 months after the effective date of this section, unless the 23
legislature authorizes an extension by statute. 24
(3) During the transition period, the department shall prioritize 25
actions that immediately reduce nutrient and manure loading to the 26
underlying aquifer, including further reductions in bird populations, 27
expanded manure collection and off-site disposal, and increased 28
groundwater monitoring. 29
(4) The department may continue limited operations at the current 30
site only to the extent necessary to maintain continuity of wildlife 31
management and release programs until the alternate location becomes 32
operational, and only if such operations comply with applicable water 33
quality and pollution prevention requirements. 34
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 77.12 35
RCW to read as follows: 36
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(1) The department, in coordination with the department of 1
ecology and the department of enterprise services, shall develop and 2
implement a remediation plan for the Bob Oke game farm site.3
(2) The remediation plan must include: 4
(a) Continued groundwater and soil monitoring; 5
(b) Measures to prevent further nitrate or nutrient leaching to 6
groundwater; 7
(c) Evaluation of soil treatment, land cover, or other 8
restoration techniques to reduce existing nutrient concentrations;9
(d) A schedule for decommissioning animal rearing infrastructure; 10
and 11
(e) Identification of potential future uses of the property that 12
are compatible with protection of municipal and residential drinking 13
water supplies. 14
(3) A remediation status report must be submitted to the governor 15
and the appropriate committees of the legislature every six months 16
until the department of ecology determines that the site no longer 17
poses a material risk to groundwater quality. 18
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 77.12 19
RCW to read as follows: 20
(1) The department of enterprise services may acquire, lease, or 21
otherwise secure real property for the alternate location in 22
accordance with chapter 43.19 RCW. 23
(2) The department may seek and accept federal, state, or local 24
funds, grants, or cooperative agreements to support relocation and 25
remediation activities. 26
(3) The department and the department of enterprise services 27
shall submit any requests for capital budget appropriations to 28
implement this act to the governor, the senator and members of the 29
house of representatives representing the legislative district in 30
which the Bob Oke game farm is located, and the chairs and ranking 31
minority members of the house and senate committees with jurisdiction 32
over the capital budget for consideration during the 2027 legislative 33
session. 34
(4) The office of financial management shall assist the 35
departments in identifying budgetary requirements for capital and 36
operating expenditures necessary to implement this act.37
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