U.S. House of Representatives to Zinke: Enforce Migratory Bird Treaty Act
WASHINGTON (April 19, 2018) – Today, U.S. Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) and 62 of his colleagues sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke urging him to suspend a concerning new interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) exempting industries from liability that incidentally—but predictably—kill birds. The Congressional representatives request that the Secretary continue to fully enforce this foundational conservation law consistent with the legislative intent of the MBTA to protect hundreds of migratory bird species across the country from being killed by industrial hazards.
Defenders of Wildlife Senior Vice President, Bob Dreher, issued the following statement:
“Thank you to Representative Lowenthal and his colleagues in the House of Representatives for their leadership to uphold the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and its prohibition against the unpermitted take of birds. For 100 years, the United States has committed with other nations to protect migratory birds through international treaties and laws. Now the Trump administration’s actions threaten to undermine the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by exempting industry from liability when their activities negligently kill birds. On the centennial of this important law, Congress and the Trump administration should do everything they can to protect migratory birds instead of letting industry off the hook for unmitigated bird deaths.”
For over 75 years, Defenders of Wildlife has remained dedicated to protecting all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With a nationwide network of nearly 2.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on X @Defenders.
