[meteorite-list] Secret BLM maps battle of the Smithsonian

From: Meteorites USA <eric_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri, 05 Nov 2010 11:15:29 -0700
Message-ID: <4CD449C1.3050300_at_meteoritesusa.com>

OK... lets be clear... Permitting is carried out by the BLM. Certain
minerals are locatable, certain minerals are leasable, and certain
minerals are salable. There is a distinct difference between ALL of
these, and regulation which govern each. Yes the BLM enforces the
regulations set by lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Yes the BLM governs and
issues permits. However, there is a clear difference between "policy"
and "law". Policy is NOT law.

Yes I agree it is a privilege that we as Americans are allowed to
collect on public land.

But I think you're mistaken... Individuals have EVERY right to collect
certain things from federal land with permission of course.

There are laws that specifically govern minerals, fossils, and
artifacts. With very specific laws which govern mining, and what's
considered a locatable mineral, leasable mineral, or decorative rock.

Yet meteorites have no specific law, or regulation. Why? Because the
mineral laws are used in lieu of, even if however very loosely and
certainly ambiguously. Sometimes the 1906 Antiquities Act is used...
Hmmm... That's confusing isn't it? Not really, because it allows the
BLM to pick and choose how to enforce "policy" not law.

I fully disagree... The federal government should NOT claim ownership of
meteorites, based on scientific interest. This is used as an
excuse/reason to seize meteorites (or anything) the government wants.
Period.

Artifacts have specific regulation. Fossils have specific regulation.

Meteorites don't. And that is hindering the advancement of meteorite
science and private sector collection and study, while it infringes on
our rights to collect. It's ok to go out and collect certain fossils and
artifacts right? Yet ALL meteorites belong to the government? Seems kind
of choosy...

Show me a law that says *specifically* that meteorites are owned by the
government. There is no such law.

People are scared to go out there and hunt and recover meteorites on
federal land for fear of losing them to the government. Why should we be
scared? That seems wrong to me. I guess it doesn't really matter,
scientifically speaking where a meteorite was found. does it? As long as
it's chemically analyzed and classified.

We should be able to hunt, recover, collect, and sell any meteorites
found on federal land. There should be a fair share split between the
government, Smithsonian, and the recoverer of the stone(s).

Eric



On 11/5/2010 10:11 AM, Chris Peterson wrote:
> You are mistaken about the law. EVERYTHING that sits on federal land
> belongs to the federal government. There are no exceptions.
> Individuals have NO right to take anything off federal land. It is
> entirely up to the discretion of the managers of federal land to allow
> individuals the PRIVILEGE of collecting something from federal land.
> Even where there are specific exceptions in federal law, as for mining
> or limited mineral collecting, enforcement is still up to the land
> management agencies.
>
> I agree that the lack of any formal policy can make things difficult,
> but it is important to remember that this is just that- policy.
>
> Of course, it is all a matter of individual perspective. I fully agree
> that the federal government should claim ownership of any meteorite
> found on federal land that has a high scientific value. Of course, in
> practice, very few meteorites found by collectors or hunters have much
> scientific value, so there is no reason for the government to care if
> they are collected. All that is needed is a simple permit system, but
> I doubt that will every happen. This isn't exactly something that
> anybody in the relevant government agencies puts much priority on.
>
> Chris
>
> *****************************************
> Chris L Peterson
> Cloudbait Observatory
> http://www.cloudbait.com
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Meteorites USA"
> <eric at meteoritesusa.com>
> To: <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 10:30 AM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Secret BLM maps battle of the Smithsonian
>
>
>> See... Part (2) that is exactly the point... and exactly the problem.
>> There's no clear policy at all with regard to meteorites, meteorite
>> hunting, and meteorite recovery. Different BLM offices will have
>> different policies based on the discretion of the person on shift at
>> the time. So if they guy or gal behind the counter has a bad morning,
>> forgets their coffee, or generally has a bad day, they dictate to you
>> whether you can hunt our not? Discretion? Whatever! OK so we are
>> supposed to hope someone is in the "mood" to issue permission? That's
>> laughable at best.
>>
>> The policy part (1) is seriously flawed. There's no "law" which
>> states meteorites belong to the goverment, other than mineral law
>> which can be loosely applied to meteorites. Yet somehow they pick and
>> choose which laws to pply when and how they "feel" like it.
>>
>> I guarantee you the BLM doesn't care about the average chondrite
>> meteorite. But if you find a North American Lunar, a Martian, a 6000
>> pound iron, or an ultra rare carbonaceous meteorite the BLM and
>> Smithsonian will probably jump up real quick and say it's theirs, and
>> will try to take it from you.
>>
>> Other countries sciences have been damaged by restrictive regulations
>> where the government claims ownership of meteorites.
>>
>> If we as Americans and as a country adopt the policy that meteorites
>> are off limits to the public, we are stifling the science we're
>> trying to protect.
>>
>> Eric
> -list
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Received on Fri 05 Nov 2010 02:15:29 PM PDT