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Web Policy

Note that the following privacy policy only applies to Web pages on the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) Web site. Pages that appear after you click on a link may be controlled by a different agency or entity, whose practices are not under the DWR’s control.

Internet Privacy Policy Statement and Disclaimer

Last updated on May 6, 2003

Privacy Information

It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia that personal information about citizens will be collected only to the extent necessary to provide the service or benefit desired; that only appropriate information will be collected; that the citizen shall understand the reason the information is collected and be able to examine their personal record which is maintained by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), according to the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act of Virginia (Code of Virginia, §§ 2.2-3800 through 2.2-3809).

This document explains how the DWR gathers information on its Web site (dwr.virginia.gov), and with whom and under what conditions the agency shares this information. The following is intended to explain the agency’s current Internet privacy practices but shall not be construed as a contractual promise. DWR reserves the right to amend its Internet Privacy Policy Statement at any time without notice.

Information Collection

Virginia law requires that state bodies not collect personal information about citizens unless it is required to provide services for the citizen. When personal information is collected, it must be protected from unauthorized access, use or disclosure, and the DWR is required to provide a prescribed procedure by which you may learn the purpose for which information has been recorded and how the agency will use and disseminate it.

In General

DWR does not capture personal information about any visitor to its site without their permission. When you browse the agency’s site without logging on to any of the interactive online services, you do so anonymously. Information, such as your name, address, phone number, or e-mail address, is not collected as you browse. Information, such as your domain name, Internet Protocol number, browser type, and date and time of your visit, is collected, but not tied to your personal identity. DWR uses this information to track the number of customers who visit the site and identify the most popular pages so that the agency can improve site content and accessibility.

Online Transactions

Though personal information may be required either by law or in order for the DWR to provide a requested service, in doing so the agency is subject to the requirements for administering information systems as established in the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act of Virginia (Code of Virginia, §§ 2.2-3800 through 2.2-3809). A different agency or entity, whose practices are not under the control of DWR, may regulate pages that appear after you click on a link.

When you log on to one of the agency’s current online services, such as the Wildlife Information Online Service or queryable Boat Registration Database, or future services, such as online watercraft registration or purchase of hunting or fishing license, the personal information that you submit is captured to enable you to conduct business with DWR. In addition, the agency collects the following information about your visit: Internet Protocol address, browser type, the name of the domain from which you access the Internet, and the date and time of your visit. As previously mentioned, this additional information allows the agency to track the number of customers who visit our site and identify the most popular pages so that it can improve site content and accessibility. The personal information you provide is required to enable you to complete various purchase or subscription transactions with the agency online and for DWR to deliver the requested services. Once registered with DWR, you are eligible to request additional services that may require you to provide additional personal information. DWR only collect, retain, and use personal information when it believes it is essential, and allowed by law, to conduct business and provide products and services. Should you not desire to provide the requested personal information, DWR will not be able to provide you with online services.

Under policy of the Board of Wildlife Resources, all comments submitted during the public comment period for proposed regulations must include your name, address, and telephone number. If you use the online submission form, you will be required to provide this information prior to submitting any comments. DWR does request your e-mail address to facilitate its interaction with you about your comments, future proposed regulations, and other related items of interest about the DWR, but you are not required to provide that information.

Personal information that you provide to the agency is safeguarded according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Information that you provide on the online surveys is used to improve the online services that the agency offers and to determine your level of satisfaction with the DWR site and services.

Contacting Us

When visiting the site, DWR encourages you to contact it if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or would like a return call. DWR will request your name, the subject of your question or comment, and your e-mail address or telephone number. This information is used solely to respond to your inquiry. If you would like the agency to mail you materials, DWR will request your mailing address so that it may provide the appropriate materials. DWR may share this customer information with other individuals, organizations, or with advertisers, unless you indicate otherwise.

Under policy of the Board of Wildlife Resources, all comments submitted during the public comment period for proposed regulations must include your name, address, and telephone number. If you e-mail your comments to the agency, you will be required to provide this information for your comments to be considered in the regulation review process. DWR does request your e-mail address to facilitate its interaction with you about your comments, future proposed regulations, and other related items of interest about the DWR, but you are not required to provide that information.

Constituent Database and Mailing List

DWR maintains a database of interested persons who voluntarily request to be contacted about agency work and activities. This database enables DWR to send information, such as meeting notices and other announcements, to such persons quickly and efficiently. DWR also maintains an e-mail list of qualified individuals and organizations that have specifically requested to receive the agency’s weekly Outdoor Report, Fishing Report, or similar publication. DWR may authorize other persons to use these databases or e-mail lists for a purpose other than those stated above, but will only include your information unless you indicate otherwise.

Information Access

Any personal information that is collected and retained by DWR is maintained in compliance with the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act of Virginia (Code of Virginia, §§ 2.2-3800 through 2.2-3809). The agency does not share, sell or trade e-mail addresses, information collected on surveys or any other information about its online customers to any entity except as provided for or required by the Code of Virginia § 2.2-3806, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, or other law. Under FOIA, any records in DWR’s possession at the time of a Freedom of Information Request might be subject to being inspected by or disclosed to members of the public. If necessary, DWR may disclose user information if it has reason to believe that disclosing such information is necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against an individual who attempts, even unintentionally, to gain unauthorized access to DWR information or to disrupt our web site.

Use of “Cookies”

In certain applications, user information is stored as “cookies,” which are then sent back and stored on your hard drive. Cookies allow the agency to save the information that you input while progressing through an online transaction. If your browser is not configured to accept cookies, you will still be able to access the information on the web site, but you may not be able to complete many of the online transactions. No user information is gathered through cookies except for that needed to run the specific application. Any application or web page that uses cookies will identify itself as such.

Security

DWR maintains security standards and procedures regarding unauthorized access to customer information to prevent unauthorized removal or alteration of data. When you browse public areas of the DWR web site, none of your personal information is captured or stored by the agency. DWR protects its records in accordance with its obligations as defined by applicable Virginia statues, including, but not limited to, the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act of Virginia, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and by any applicable U.S. federal laws.

Information Accuracy and Your Rights

DWR has established procedures to ensure that information is as accurate and current as is practical to enable us to conduct business with you. Although the agency strives to do things right the first time, it also responds to requests to correct inaccurate information in a timely manner. You have the right to review the record the DWR maintains about you in order to verify its accuracy. You may do this by contacting the individual listed below. If you find errors in your personal record, or desire that the agency purge your data from its records, you must contact the individual listed below. DWR employee access to personally identifiable information is restricted to only those employees who need access in order to perform their assigned duties.

Contact Us

DWR welcomes your comments and invites you to contact us if you have any questions or concerns:

Web Administrator
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
P.O. Box 90778
Henrico, VA 23228-0778
e-mail: dwrweb@dwr.virginia.gov

Disclaimer

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) provides links to many web sites that are not controlled, maintained, or regulated by DWR or any organization affiliated with DWR, and as such DWR is NOT responsible for the content of those web sites. Use of information obtained from those web sites is voluntary, and reliance on that information should only be undertaken after an independent review of its accuracy. Reference at those web sites to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, or otherwise DOES NOT constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or preference by DWR. The agency tries to screen all sites included on its web site, but cannot control the content they possess. Any inappropriate information or links they have on their site that pertains to DWR, its authority, or related activities, should be reported to DWR and can be e-mailed to the Web Manager at dwrweb@dwr.virginia.gov.

Freedom of Information Rights and Responsibilities

Plug-ins

DWR provides content in several formats that require plug-ins, or separate browser components, to properly view. All required plug-ins are free to use.

The plug-ins used are:

  • Microsoft Word documents (.doc/.docx): Word Viewer
  • Adobe PDF files (.pdf): Adobe Reader