[meteorite-list] Fw: Re: Arizona fall

From: Mark Bowling <minador_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 17:13:18 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <685210.71234.qm_at_web54402.mail.yahoo.com>

--- On Sun, 7/5/09, Adam Hupe <raremeteorites at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Below is a link that can be cut and pasted into a browser
> that discusses removal of minerals from federal land.?
> I was told by a BLM officer that 150 pounds can be removed a
> year for non-commercial/hobby purposes.? The BLM will
> issue free non-commercial use permits if requested. I found
> that they will even mail them to you free.? If you are
> caught removing minerals without one, the fines can be as
> great as $100,000.00 or a year in jail.
>

This is from their document:

***
Persons who remove mineral materials from public
lands without a permit or contract are considered
unauthorized users and in trespass. In addition,
unauthorized users may be fined as much as $100,000
and sentenced up to 1 year in jail. This does not apply to
the hobby collection of stone or petrified wood where
reasonable amounts of these materials are taken without
a permit for personal or nonprofit use, provided
that such collection does not cause unnecessary or
undue degradation.
***

I think that last paragraph applies to most of us. Make sure you're doing it for hobby purposes. But they are the ones who will initially determine "reasonable amount". I've met two really unreasonable people over the years who are hard to forget (at least with the Forest Service). But most are great folks. I think the 250 lbs. per year applies to petrified wood.

Even if you do have a permit, you can't sell the material, and there are lots of hurtles one must overcome to get it granted.

***
The permittee is not allowed to barter or sell the mineral
materials acquired under the permit.

Before issuing contracts or free-use permits, the
BLM must conduct appropriate environmental
assessments. These include special studies or inventories
of cultural values, threatened or endangered
plant and wildlife species, or other resources. Stipulations
or conditions will be included in the terms of the
contract to ensure protection of the environment and
reclamation of the land.
***

If you keep it at the hobby level you should have no worries. Make sure to keep a copy of this with you while you hunt and, while most agents are nice, if they try to scare you with the law, pull it out and say you've done your homework. If they're the type who doesn't like people messing around the land, they will say they don't appreciate what you're doing and they'll say they would like you to leave. But they can't make you leave and they will then leave to go about their business. It also helps to meet with some of the agents before you head our and drop their names as you discuss it. It always helps if you figure out the land ownership of the area you're interested in and to familiarize yourself with the regs.

Happy hunting and tread lightly!

Mark
Vail, AZ
Received on Sun 05 Jul 2009 08:13:18 PM PDT