February 15, 2020
To date, almost fifty U.S. Representatives have cosponsored legislation that would keep migratory birds protected for decades to come. Just last month, California Representative Alan Lowenthal introduced the Migratory Bird Protection Act of 2020 which would prevent the Trump Administration from stripping the 1918 Migratory Birds Treaty Act (MBTA) of its safeguards against “incidental killing” of birds, thus saving perhaps millions of birds in North America.
The MBTA, enacted over one hundred years ago, protects many species of birds against hunters, trappers, or others who intend to harm or kill the animals. Not only that, the MBTA protects birds against “incidental taking”—a term encompassing any migratory bird indirectly harmed by industry by way of flying into wind turbines, landing in uncovered toxic waste pits or oil spills, or being killed by power lines or communication towers, etc. In 2017, the federal government delivered a legal opinion withdrawing these protections against incidental taking, thus giving private industries the green light to further expand and infringe on wildlife habitats without consequence.
The Migratory Birds Protection Act of 2020—H.R. 5552—will hold industries to higher standards as well as instruct the Fish and Wildlife Service to document businesses’ compliance to conservation regulations which would positively impact the welfare of North America’s migratory birds.
Take Action: The Fish and Wildlife Service is taking public comments to “help define the range of issues and possible alternatives to be addressed in the Environmental Impact Statement.” Comments are due by March 19th, 2020. Please make your voice heard! CLICK HERE to submit your opinion to the Federal Register before March 19th! Let the government know that we must protect migratory birds as stated in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act which was enacted over one hundred years ago, and that industries must be held accountable to their actions’ negative impacts on wildlife, the environment, and our climate before it’s too late.