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November 19, 2008

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Long:New fossil...

Long:New fossil law for public land

7/20/2003 8:31:04 PM

legacyForum

725 posts

Long:New fossil law for public land

Here's what McGovern (MA) and Akaka (HI) are about to get passed into law. S546 The Paleontological Protection Act passed in the Senate July 17 and was sent to the house July 18, 2003. Fossil collectors, rock and mineral collectors need to write their congressional representatives immediately. This bill is bad for many reasons, here are some comments about just one of the reasons. "We're not trying to ensnare the amateur collector, like a Boy Scout picking up rocks. We want to stop illegal excavation,'' said McGovern's press secretary, Michael Mershon. --REPORTED in the Boston Globe. Here's what Washington Watch says: http://www.eco.freedom.org/el/20030702/hardiman.shtml "BAD BILLS ...... S 546 (Akaka, D-HI) Anti-rockhounding bill titled the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. Places severe penalties on recreational rockhounding, would permit only "experts" to disturb public land surfaces. Allows for seizure of private vehicles, camping equipment and anything else the government wants to grab for even minor violations. This bill assumes that Big Brother Government has all the answers, even though some of the greatest discoveries of dinosaurs and pre-recorded history has been done by private individuals." Pete Lucero, Bevinetto Fellow, Senate Energy and Natural Resources, National Parks Subcommittee wrote, "The Paleontological Resources reservation Act places no new restrictions on amateur fossil collecting on federal lands. Every activity that an amateur can legally do today would still be legal after the passage of S.546." That's true. The current regulations say no excavating. Nothing will change in the law about excavating. It will STILL be ILLEGAL to excavate. The difference lies in the ENFORCEMENT and UNISHMENT. Under the existing laws, violators are taken to court to collect the $50 fine. There isn't much incentive to enforce the law. Under the proposed law, they will assess penalties from the BLM, BOR, or Forest Service offices and can take your vehicle and equipment without trial or any recourse to trial for civil offences). Write your representative in the house to stop this bill http://www.house.gov/writerep/ If you want more information, I have collected and posted copies of the bills and the report on which it is based, as well a a long list of what it wrong with it and other related reports and information at: www.colossal-fossil-site.com/475-legislative/red-white-blue.htm bev

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