As birders, we need to pay attention to this.
On December 22nd the Administration stripped away one of the most important
aspects of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This Act has protected birds
since 1918 when it was enacted to stop the plum hunters and market hunters who
caused the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon and Carolina Parakeet. This is
the act that required BP Oil Company to pay $100 million for wetlands
restoration after the Gulf Oil Spill killed a million birds. With this new
interpretation of the MBTA, BP would have been off the hook because they didn’t
“intentionally” kill any birds.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has long recognized two types of incidental
take (killing), one where accidently killing birds could not have been
reasonably expected or avoided, and unintentional killings where those deaths
could have been reasonably anticipated and prevented. The former is virtually
never penalized, while the latter may well be.
What just happened was a “reinterpretation” of the MBTA to allow the
unintentional killing of birds even if those deaths could have been prevented.
An amendment to H.R. 4239 – the “SECURE American Energy Act” would make this
interpretation law!
This absurdity would make any effort to minimize or eliminate bird kills at
wind farms locate directly under known migration paths, open pit storage
facilities, or by- catch from long-line fisheries, among other numerous
scenarios, nearly impossible.
We need to contact our Representatives because if they don’t hear from us, they
won’t know we’re out here.
Call the Capitol switchboard at: (202) 224-3121 to be put in contact with your
Senator or Representative. Tell the staff person you want your Congressperson
to protect the MBTA and to oppose the amendment to HR 4239 because it would
undermine key protection for >1,000 species of birds. Birds that we rely on to
pollinate our crops, disperse seeds, control insect pests, and for recreation.
Birdwatchers pump billions of dollars into the U.S. economy buying equipment
and traveling to places to watch birds, and bird conservation needs to be a
priority.
On American Bird Conservancy website you’ll find a sample letter that you can
modify and use as a script, and/or modify for your letter to your Congress.
https://abcbirds.org/migratory_bird_treaty_act_under_threat
Call your congressperson: (202) 224-3121
Send a letter: www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Send an email: https://thepeoplegov.org/state/tennessee
It matters!
Melinda Welton and Dick Preston
Tennessee Ornithological Society
Conservation Policy Committee Co-chairs
