[meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy

From: Adam Hupe <raremeteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 10:02:35 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <1354471355.16186.YahooMailNeo_at_web122002.mail.ne1.yahoo.com>

I have been warning for years that making meteorites into treasure for TV or media purposes would lead to the meteorite hunting downfall.


History is repeating itself.? It happened with relic hunters, coin-shooters and fossil finders because they became known as treasure hunters due to the popular press.? A few got there 15-minutes of fame and everybody else paid for it!? Treasure hunting as a wholesome hobby that could have been enjoyed by generations of family members has never recovered.? It is now completely off-limits on BLM land and so too will be meteorite hunting now that they are "antiques".? Everything on Earth could be considered an antique using Schmitt's reasoning.


Just wait until the next version of their meteorite recovery policy.? And to think a poorly written paper by a Canadian and some fleeting moments of fame for a few could influence American law.?


Happy Hunting,

Adm

?



----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Montgomery <rickmont at earthlink.net>
To: Jim Strope <faq4q at yahoo.com>; meteorite central <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Cc:
Sent: Sunday, December 2, 2012 9:20 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy

What a mess....we're living during the transformation of elected representative government by the people to a appointed "governing" that is closer to what our founders escaped than the freedom we grew up with.? How is it that "laws" can be made by decree and regulation? (The rhetorical question is simply answered...the encroachment of seemingly good intentions designed to "protect" us from ourselves will eventually ruin our freedom entirely.)

What a mess.

Let's consider the other side of the coin:? since we know that meteorites belong to the landowners upon which they fall, we should all own what we find since "we" own the public land, not a "government."? And thus by extension, (through any parallel of mining law, forestry, natural resource extraction etc.) this new decree of regulating a single aspect of what is found and developed on public land is an unequitable and selective application.
What a mess....

The largest question is private property rights:? Even with the 10lb/year limit imposed by the this BLM decree, it is unacceptable that a government entity has any jurisdiction over any subsequent exchange, monetary or otherwise.

Let's keep a sharp eye on it.? HUGE thanks to Nick for taking the initiative.
-Richard Montgomery

----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Strope" <faq4q at yahoo.com>
To: "meteorite central" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2012 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy


> You sure hit the nail on the head, Adam.? Things sure have changed over the last few years.
>
> Jim Strope
> 421 4th Street
> Glen Dale, WV. 26038
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Dec 2, 2012, at 11:00 AM, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> 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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>>
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Received on Sun 02 Dec 2012 01:02:35 PM PST