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Wednesday, September 18, 2024

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Post-presidential debate poll shows a shift in WI; Teamsters won't endorse in presidential race after releasing internal polling showing most members support Trump; IL energy jobs growth is strong but lacks female workers; Pregnant, Black Coloradans twice as likely to die than the overall population.

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The Teamsters choose not to endorse a presidential candidate, county officials in Texas fight back against state moves to limit voter registration efforts, and the FBI investigate suspicious packages sent to elections offices in at least 17 states.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

Groups Slam Feds' Attack on Migratory Bird Protections

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Wednesday, January 6, 2021   

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Conservation groups are expressing outrage over the Trump administration's rollback of the Migratory Bird Protection Act.

With the change announced Tuesday, companies could no longer be held accountable for killing birds in the course of business, as long as their actions don't specifically target birds. Mike Leahy, director of wildlife, hunting and fishing policy for the National Wildlife Federation, said he sees it as another example of President Donald Trump weakening environmental protections.

"This rule is basically the administration 'flipping the bird,' and saying, 'It doesn't matter what Congress or the courts say, we can interpret laws however we want,'" he said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has claimed it's "clarifying" the rule to provide regulatory certainty and cut down on lawsuits. In the past, the MBTA has been used to make companies such as BP pay to clean up the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It also was intended to deter bird deaths from power lines or poison from the use of banned pesticides.

Leahy pointed to a study published in Science Magazine that estimates the United States has lost 3 billion birds since 1970; that's one in four birds.

"Oil waste pits kill somewhere between a half-million and a million birds a year," he said. "Power lines can kill nearly 70 million birds per year; communication towers around 7 million birds per year."

Unless the courts do it first, the Biden administration is expected to reverse this decision, but it might not be a simple process. Conservation groups would like to see a new permitting program that encourages companies' best practices to avoid bird deaths.

Disclosure: National Wildlife Federation contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Endangered Species & Wildlife, Energy Policy, Environment, Public Lands/Wilderness, Salmon Recovery, Water. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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