[meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy

From: Nicholas Gessler, Ph.D. <nick.gessler_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 2 Dec 2012 20:01:18 +0000
Message-ID: <2BF7290C1307A04AAE019182A4FA6D9603ED5AA2_at_ex-mbg-06.win.duke.edu>

>From my perspective, I think we ought not to go off half-cocked.
Apparently, that is what the BLM has done, and it has gotten no one anywhere.

But note what Schmitt has written on page B6, paragraph 3:
"Most Western European countries... have civil codes laying down principles of law under which meteorites are owned by the landowner as long as they have "acceded" to the land. A meteorite resting on the surface is, arguably, owned by the finder taking possession of it, subject to trespass issues."
Read this carefully!

I think it would be worthwhile to first do a profile on Schmitt.
Solicitors present arguments and opinions, they do not conduct scientific and sociological
investigations of the subject. Perhaps we need a societal and cultural perspective on the issue?
Who were his 20 informants? As an anthropologist, his investigation falls way short of unbiased research.
What relevance is Schmitt's Canadian opinion to US Law?
Have we learned nothing in ten years? Since then the public has become better informed,
the public has made major contributions, and the "scientific community" has expanded to
include collectors, educators and dealers...

Perhaps it's time for another scholarly article based upon scientific evidence
to be submitted to the Meteoritics and Planetary Science? One that contains
statistics on how many meteorites are recovered by each section of the community,
the costs of hunting, sales and trades among scientific organizations, etc.

Maybe we should take time to document our experiences with the BLM and meet
at Tucson to draft a response?

Nicholas Gessler, Ph.D.
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

________________________________________
From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com [meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] on behalf of Yinan Wang [veomega at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2012 1:49 PM
To: Jim Strope
Cc: meteorite central
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] BLM and Meteorite Recovery Policy

My two cents on part of this topic:

I think part of the problem we're having is that there is not enough
clout or lobby for our hobby/industry. The BLM can easily ignore
various individual emails/demands but it's harder to ignore a petition
or lobby of several hundred people together, especially if they have
media attention.

If others are interested, I think we should start up a petition at
charge . org or one of the other petition websites. Gather enough
signatures/attention and soon others can't afford to ignore you.

Anyone interested in the wording or writing of the petition should
email me privately and we can see if we can get something together.

Sincerely,
Yinan

On Sun, Dec 2, 2012 at 11:46 AM, Jim Strope <faq4q at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 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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Received on Sun 02 Dec 2012 03:01:18 PM PST