Trump Administration Makes Last-Gasp Assault On Migratory Bird Protections

AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY • January 5, 2021

The Trump Administration has announced that it will implement a new rule that greatly weakens essential protections provided by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This rule comes at a time when scientists have raised alarm over the loss of 3 billion North American birds during the past 50 years. It would end enforcement against incidental take of birds – the predictable and preventable killing of birds by industrial practices –   even though last summer a federal judge struck down the Interior Department legal opinion that the new rule seeks to codify.