Re: Permits for collecting

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Rik brings up a good point that has been made before in these kinds of
debates.  I don't know the answer to the issue, but my guess is that this
type of "mining" will not be considered.  However, for micropaleontologists
who state that they collect fossils, any all-inclusive law or regulation
will surely apply to them.  Many of these proposals use the word fossil
without exclusion of any particular kind.  Thus, micropaleontologists would
be regulated by such laws, even if the cement, diatomite, phosphorite and
other industries chew up billions+ of micro (and other, including
vertebrate) fossils.

Jere


>On Friday on micropal@ucmp1.Berkeley.EDU Jere H. Lipps said:
>
>>If you have been following postings on PaleoNet, you are aware of the
>>attemps to regulate fossil collecting on public lands.  The US Congress,
>>among other things, is considering bills to regulate fossil collecting on
>>Federal lands.  Some states could follow suit.   This issue has major
>>importance for all US and probably other paleontologists, and this
>>posting is meant to open discussion of these issues for paleontologists
>>who might not have been concerned with this in the past, in
>>particular micropaleontologists who might unwittingly be impacted by
>>such regulations.  We could, for example, be required to get a permit to
>>collect >bulk samples for processing of microfossils.  If we failed to do
>>so and
>>published our results, we could be found and fined....
>
>
>
>If new laws regulate, specifically, the collection of microfossils
>what will happen to the cement industry and other such rock, particularly
>sedimentary rock, industries? In one day an active cement plant will
>grind up more fossiliferous rock than all the world's MicroPals collect
>in a year, probably a decade! Here's some stats:
>
>One cement plant (Az. Portland Cement) processes the following:
>
>2.5 million tons of fossil bearing rock per year or approximately 1
>million cubic meters.
>
>There are about 180 such "rock crushers" in the U.S. according to
>Portland Cement.
>
>This works out to 450 million tons per year.
>
>This also works out to 6850 tons per plant or about 2740 cubic
>meters (340 dump truck loads) of fossil bearing rock per day.
>
>So what is all the fuss about MicroPals? No one seems too concerned about
>possible rare species being destroyed at the cement plants. How long
>would it take palentologists, in fact all fossil collectors, to
>collect 450 million tons? I am in favor of protecting sensitive sites,
>particularly vertebrate sites, but blanket laws, regulations and
>policies seem, in light of such statistics, seem to be plugging a leak
>while the dam is bursting! We need some common sense in these regulations.
>Not just more unenforceable clap-trap.
>
>-Rik