[Rockhounds] FW: FOSSIL HUNTING HOBBY IN DANGER Fw: PublicLandUsage Bills

[Kreigh Tomaszewski]

My objection is that most of the bills that have been proposed paint 
with too broad a brush instead of focusing on the problem.

Most discoveries come from amateurs, honest rockhounds out in the 
field, trying to improve their collection or make a significant find 
and advance our shared knowledge. The problem comes from someone out to 
make a quick killing and pick up a lot of bucks (and I exclude most 
dealers - I've only met a few that are not rockhounds at heart).

Hand collecting should never be a problem. If you need power equipment 
you need a permit. I think that line is both clear and fair.

If you want to excavate a complete T-Rex by hand your sweat will be 
adequate payment and I don't care how much money you make, because you 
worked for it honestly.

If you want to excavate the same T-Rex with power equipment get a 
permit. And if you do so without a permit, any book they throw at you 
will never be too heavy.

Amateurs do it themselves, professionals use power equipment. I have no 
problems with regulating the professionals. Just make sure the line is 
clear.

Kreigh





On Friday, Nov 21, 2008, at 16:30 America/Detroit, Rick Trapp wrote:

> It doesn't matter anyway. Every National Forest District Manager, and 
> some NF's have several districts, has the authority to prohibit ANY 
> activity they don't want to happen in their district. That includes 
> rockhounding and fossil collecting.
>
> In general, not pointing at any particular person, instead of wasting 
> our time protesting perennial bills that never are going to pass, 
> wouldn't it be a better use of our time to try to pass legislation 
> that ensures our right to recreate on public lands in a particular 
> fashion? I think we might have an decent chance of protecting 
> recreational activities if we support strong regulation of for-profit 
> activities.
>
> This bill is intended to regulate for-profit activities. And every 
> year, invariably, a bunch of recreational mineral and fossil 
> enthusiasts get conned into preventing this bill from being 
> considered. In general, these kinds of protests of these kinds of 
> bills are encouraged and publicized by individuals who want to protect 
> their "right" to extract minerals and fossils from OUR public lands 
> FOR PROFIT without paying for the privilege of removing large 
> quantities of minerals and fossils that belong to EVERYONE 
> COLLECTIVELY. There are procedures in place that regulate how minerals 
> and invertebrate fossils may be extracted for profit, but these 
> individuals do not want to pay the fees. It's that simple.
>
> Just sayin'.....
>
>
>
>
> Gene Hartstein - Fossilnut.com wrote:
>> Note it says "may", not 'should" or 'must".
>>
>> Gene Hartstein
>> Newark, DE
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Brown" 
>> <gbrown at catspaw-minerals.com>
>> To: "'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem 
>> collectors'" <rockhounds at lists.drizzle.com>
>> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 2:27 PM
>> Subject: RE: [Rockhounds] FW: FOSSIL HUNTING HOBBY IN DANGER Fw: 
>> PublicLandUsage Bills
>>
>>
>>> Read the whole bill here:
>>> http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=s110-3213
>>>
>>> Here's clause 644:
>>> (2) CASUAL COLLECTING EXCEPTION- The Secretary may allow casual 
>>> collecting
>>> without a permit on Federal land controlled or administered by the 
>>> Bureau of
>>> Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Forest Service, 
>>> where
>>> such collection is consistent with the laws governing the management 
>>> of
>>> those Federal land and this subtitle.
>>>
>>> It's not a total prohibition.
>>>
>>> BTW, it is BAD FORM to copy an email loaded with the email addresses 
>>> of
>>> other folks.
>>>
>>> GcB
>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
>>>> [mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com] On Behalf Of
>>>> Lawrence Bull
>>>> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 1:18 PM
>>>> To: Andre Bourque; Rockhounds; Ron Hammeron
>>>> Subject: [Rockhounds] FW: FOSSIL HUNTING HOBBY IN DANGER Fw:
>>>> Public LandUsage Bills
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ....
>>>
>>> -- 
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>>>
>>
>
> -- 
> Rick Trapp
> Geologist/IT Manager, Arizona Geological Survey
> rick.trapp at azgs.az.gov
>
>
> -- 
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