Migratory Bird Treaty Act Weakened

[Northwoods Labs]

Absolute joke when we have elected officials choose not to hold some of the wealthiest corporations accountable for their actions when it comes to wildlife owned by the people of the United States. Wildlife and conservation are part of our heritage and make our country great, not soft handed people who run their lives via twitter and are overcome by greed in that they will find anyway to squeeze out another dollar of profit. I am pretty confident in thinking that all waterfowl killed by oil, gas, construction will be "accidents" and mere collateral dominance in our quest for "energy dominance." Sorry, I try not to be political, but this is a joke

Interior Department to Weaken Protections for Waterfowl and Other Migratory Birds

On Thursday, the Trump Administration announced new regulations that would remove penalties for construction, oil, gas, and other industries that incidentally kill birds listed under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. If approved, the new set of rules would only punish companies that...

www.themeateater.com

 

[Schaaf]

Corporate profits above all else. Now put a smile on your face and go renew your Costco membership with that tax cut.

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Comment period opens tomorrow morning in this.

 

[Big Fin]

It was hunters who pushed for this legislation in 1918. If not for George Bird Grinnell using the huge platform of Forest & Stream and the Boone & Crockett Club pushing for such, the bill probably would not have passed and we would not have enjoyed the resurrection of migratory bird numbers we see today. And now, one has to ask why the policy that got us here to the point of abundance and recovery that could not have been anticipated in 1918, "What about this model is broken?"

In my lifetime, all 55 years, every year the air got cleaner, as did the water. Every year, wildlife gained more importance to our population. Yet, I wonder if we take all this clean air/water and abundant wildlife for granted.

I have yet to see any of the recent efforts to "reform" clean air or clean water laws that benefits humans or wild things. The same applies to this change.

Maybe we need to see the Cuyahoga River start on fire again. Maybe we need to see "Don't eat the fish" signs at most popular boat ramps as was the case in my favorite childhood walleye holes of the Rainy River. Maybe we need to have large scale fish die offs in Lake Erie, as happened in my younger days. Will it take closing of pronghorn hunts to get hunters to advocate as much for smarter energy practices? The list of things I could mention that show my lifetime has been "The Good Old Days" of conservation and improvement would exceed the character limit for a Hunt Talk post.

Yet, somewhere along the recent path, we seem to have lost the priority for these efforts that make us the beneficiaries of hard work and political courage of those who held these issues as high priorities.

These changes I have seen in my lifetime is a societal shift that is hard to explain. What is the tipping point where the larger society of people care enough to stand up and be the path of greater resistance rather than the path of least resistance that we currently are? Given the disruption of our society and the new means of tribalism that social media provides, there is a land rush by those holding the levers of power to change all of these things before society again realizes what has happened.

Thanks for sharing these topics here on Hunt Talk. Thanks to our friends at Meateater for using their platforms to raise this awareness. As painful as it is to read about, the more people are aware, the sooner the tides will turn back to the favor of cleaner air, cleaner water, and wild things.

When comment period is open, it will appear here - https://www.regulations.gov/

I will try to post a direct link once the comment period has its own link.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Thanks for sharing these topics here on Hunt Talk. Thanks to our friends at Meateater for using their platforms to raise this awareness. As painful as it is to read about, the more people are aware, the sooner the tides will turn back to the favor of cleaner air, cleaner water, and wild things.

This will never happen as long as people keep electing politicians who put the almighty $$ before EVERYTHING else. You know which party I'm referring to. The same one that will keep pushing their PLT agenda.

 

[JLS]

Make America(Corporate) Great Again.

Now, go renew your Costco membership.

 

[Sawtooth]

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith said the administration chose to amend the enforcement of the law so that companies “can operate without the fear and uncertainty that the unintentional consequences of their actions may be prosecuted.”

Isn't this rational pretty much the same defense that Trump's attorneys used at the end of the impeachment hearings. His actions are OK as long as he does them "in the best interest of the country". Doesn't matter if they are illegal or immoral.

 

[Big Fin]

One should follow the history of efforts to change this law, pre-dating the current administration. Secretary Bernhardt was trying to get these changes made back when he was a lobbyist for the energy industry. Now, given the keys to the bus, his priority list is pretty easy to identify. Cleaner air and cleaner water, and continued protections for migratory bird (whether intentional or unintentional kills) don't seem to have made the priority list.

"To the victor go the spoils..." Senator William L. Marcy, 1828

 

[Sawtooth]

So short of having a company document stating that there are too many ducks on their property and they need to be thinned out, penalizing a company for massive waterfowl kill off is next to impossible? Sounds like a real useful law.

 

[Oak]

One should follow the history of efforts to change this law, pre-dating the current administration. Secretary Bernhardt was trying to get these changes made back when he was a lobbyist for the energy industry. Now, given the keys to the bus, his priority list is pretty easy to identify. Cleaner air and cleaner water, and continued protections for migratory bird (whether intentional or unintentional kills) don't seem to have made the priority list.

"To the victor go the spoils..." Senator William L. Marcy, 1828

Secretary Bernhardt is behind this proposed decision. He’s a Colorado guy with sheep ranchers in his family.

 

[Doublecluck]

Clearly a bad policy change. It’s sad that we always have to choose one Extreme or the other. It doesn’t seem logical that as a nation we can’t come up with ways to produce Energy and protect the environment. I read stuff like this.

Publications | K&L Gates Mobile Site

m.klgates.com

And the Meat eater article and I kind of just shake my head and think where is the common sense? Hundreds of millions seems right when you dump oil in the ocean but a couple mallards shouldn’t cost a business 15k Each.

I guess if we’re gonna clear the way for wind energy we gotta deregulate to make it feasible

Redirect Notice

But since we’re talking birds, it’s you cat owners who should really be fined. 2.5 billion! Jesus Christ.. and you guys know how I feel about cats.

US law on migratory bird deaths relaxed

Read US law on migratory bird deaths relaxed and other wind energy news & analysis on Windpower Monthly

www.windpowermonthly.com

 

[JLS]

Clearly a bad policy change. It’s sad that we always have to choose one Extreme or the other. It doesn’t seem logical that as a nation we can’t come up with ways to produce Energy and protect the environment. I read stuff like this.

You have to remember though, typically laws like this typically came into play because no one GAF about existing consequences. Kind of like how we all lament about a poacher getting away with no consequence, so they keep doing it.

If I have deep pockets, and am only looking at civil fines, I'm more likely to go out and shoot the hell out of an elk herd to get the big bulls I want, knowing if I get caught I can simply write a check as the cost of doing business. Hell, a good accountant can probably figure out a way to write off a civil fine at the end of the year.

 

[406LIFE]

It’s sad that we always have to choose one Extreme or the other.

I feel this way often. I think this is a bad move; one of the worst I've seen so far from the President.

 

[Big Fin]

Here is the link to comment - https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0090-0002

I just did my comment in less than five minutes. Hope you will do the same.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Here is the link to comment - https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=FWS-HQ-MB-2018-0090-0002

I just did my comment in less than five minutes. Hope you will do the same.

Thanks for posting the link.
Although I'm sure all our comments will be disregarded because this administration only cares about $$ regardless of any cost to wildlife and the environment.