In an effort to better protect birds, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) has revoked a rule made during the Trump Administration's final weeks that "limited the scope" of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
Once the change takes effect, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will once again be able to exercise enforcement action against the incidental taking of migratory birds under the MBTA, according to a DOI press release.
"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, one of our first environmental laws, represents more than 100 years of America's commitment to protecting migratory birds and restoring declining populations," Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in the release.
Birds in North America have seen a decline of three billion in the last 50 years, according to DOI. There are 1,093 species of birds under the MBTA's protection, and many are seeing population declines. Of those, 269 bird species are deemed in increased need of conservation attention, the release said.
"The impacts of climate change coupled with loss and degradation of habitat are pushing more and more wildlife species to the brink," Haaland said. "Today we are announcing critical steps to ensure that the Act can help conserve birds today and in the future."
The 2021 Migratory Bird Treaty Act Rule issued under President Donald Trump excluded the incidental or unintentional taking of migratory birds from the list of prohibited activities. That rule has been revoked and will go into effect on Dec. 3, according to The National Law Review.
"Our next step will be to create a common-sense approach to regulating the incidental take of migratory birds that works to both conserve birds and provide regulatory certainty to industry stakeholders," Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks Shannon Estenoz said.
Both natural and human-caused actions, such as industry projects, have contributed to death and loss of bird population, according to the release.
The 2021 Birds of Conservation Concern (BCC) report included birds that are not game, game birds without a hunting season and past or present candidates under the Endangered Species Act.
The BCC has raised special concern for 269 bird species located across the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
