[meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy

[Adam Hupe]

It is interesting that the BLM has pulled the Antiquities Act out of a hat in this version.  We can thank Douglas Schmidt for this connection in the infamous paper he wrote years ago claiming meteorites are cultural objects. He went as far as quoting the Antiquities Act in his ramblings. Now educators and researchers have to obtain an Antiquities Act permit for meteorites. Really?  


We can thank all the over-hype in the media and TV programs for the rest of the restrictions!  It looks like a few have ruined it for the rest of us!

These rules affect everybody interested in the pursuit and it will not be long before our public lands are completely closed.  What a nice legacy our generation has left behind.  May we never forget the few responsible for the downfall of a great avocation.


Happy Hunting,

Adam

  


________________________________
From: "Nicholas Gessler, Ph.D." <nick.gessler at duke.edu>
To: meteorite-list <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com> 
Sent: Sunday, December 2, 2012 7:08 AM
Subject: [meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy

Regarding the BLM's policy on "Collection of Meteorites on Public Land" posted at:
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Memos_and_Bulletins/national_instruction/2012/IM_2012-182.html
I have written three emails of complaint to  Lucia Kuizon, National Paleontologist and lkuizon at blm.gov, and Frank Jenks, Natural Resources Specialist fjenks at blm.gov, buty as yet have not had the courtesy of a reply.

At this time, I'm prepared to file a FOIA (Freedom of Information) request for all documentation leading up to the legislation posted on their website, to include minutes of all meetings, drafts, lists of committee members and individuals consulted, emails pertaining to the above, etc.

Before I do so, has anyone else filed such a request?  Have any other list members received any "official" communications from the BLM regarding their policy?

I note that the policy is set to expire in one year, which would imply that implementation of this policy is still in flux.  I am surprised how naive, unrealistic, self-contradictory and wrongheaded this legislation is and I think that we on the list, the Meteoritical Society and academic and scientific institutions should come together to oppose it.

I have a full teaching and research schedule, so please forgive me if this all has been hashed out on the list before or if protests have already been filed.  If anyone else is moving forward on this, please get in touch with me.  Please email me directly if you have any inside information on this.  I'm pretty sure there was no consultation with those potentially affected by this legislation.  We need a website devoted to this struggle.  Perhaps I can contribute to that effort.

Regards,
Nick


nick.gessler at duke.edu
http://isis.duke.edu/gessler
Research Associate (ISIS)
INFORMATION SCIENCE & INFORMATION STUDIES
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Courses:
ARTIFICIAL LIFE, CULTURE & EVOLUTIONARY COMPUTATION
       Multiagent Complex Systems / ISIS-170, CompSci-107, VisMedStudies-172
ESPIONAGE, CRYPTOLOGY & PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS
       Networks of Trust, Secrecy & Deception / ISIS-235, CultAnth-226
METEORITES & SOLAR SYSTEM HISTORY
       History of & Simulations in the Science of Meteoritics / ISIS-230, EarthOceanSci-230
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