{"id":1570,"date":"2018-01-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-16T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/insights\/new-approach-to-migratory-bird-treaty-act-takes-flight\/"},"modified":"2025-02-13T14:23:42","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T14:23:42","slug":"new-approach-to-migratory-bird-treaty-act-takes-flight","status":"publish","type":"news-and-insights","link":"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/fr\/insights\/new-approach-to-migratory-bird-treaty-act-takes-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"New Approach to Migratory Bird Treaty Act Takes Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- Start Block: acf\/wysiwyg -->\n\n<section class=\"wysiwyg section-padding bg-white\">\n    <div class=\"container-fluid\">\n        \n        <div class=\"row\">\n                            <div class=\"col-lg-8 columns js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                                        <p>On December 22 the Department of the Interior issued a revised interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act\u2019s (MBTA\u2019s) prohibition on the taking of migratory bird species. While less restrictive than the previous reading of the law, the new approach could be short-lived due to the vagaries of politics and we caution our clients to be careful before changing the way they approach project planning and development or ongoing operations.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/contact-us\/\">Contact Us<\/a><\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"col-lg-4 columns js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                                        <div class=\"wysiwyg__links js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                        <div class=\"wysiwyg__links__top \">\n                                                        <h4>Related Services<\/h4>\n                                                                                    <ul class=\"js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                                                                <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/services\/environmental-assessment-permitting-and-compliance\/environmental-assessments\/biological-assessment\/\" target=\"_self\">Biological Assessment<\/a><\/li>\n                                                                <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/markets\/power-and-utilities\/renewables\/offshore-wind\/\" target=\"_self\">Offshore Wind Development<\/a><\/li>\n                                                            <\/ul>\n                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <div class=\"wysiwyg__links__bottom\">\n                                    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/services\" target=\"_self\">View All Services<\/a>\n                                <\/div>\n                                                                                                <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<!-- End Block: acf\/wysiwyg -->\n\n<!-- Start Block: acf\/wysiwyg -->\n\n<section class=\"wysiwyg section-padding bg-purple\">\n    <div class=\"container-fluid\">\n        \n        <div class=\"row\">\n                        <div class=\"col-lg-12\">\n                                                                                \n                                                <\/div>\n\n                                                                        <div class=\"col-lg-4 \">\n                                                        <div class=\"js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                                <p>Enacted in 1918, the MBTA made it a crime to \u201cpursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, sell, purchase, or ship any migratory bird or any part, nest, or egg of a migratory bird unless authorized by regulation.\u201d Cases related to this act originally applied only to incidents of hunting and poaching where there was a direct action by an individual.<\/p>\n<p>However, in 1973 the passage of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) introduced the concept of \u201cincidental take\u201d \u2013 where wildlife is harmed while \u201ccarrying out an otherwise lawful activity.\u201d Examples of incidental take under the ESA include bird strikes at wind farms or nest failure\/abandonment due to construction noise and disturbance.<\/p>\n<p>To comply with federal regulations and minimize harm to birds, companies and organizations have taken steps such as placing flashing warning lights on communication towers, marking power lines or fences with bird flight diverters, and fencing and netting waste pits.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"col-lg-4 columns\">\n                                                        <div class=\"js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                                <p>But since the introduction of the ESA, courts have been divided on whether the \u201ctake\u201d standard in the MBTA statute is the equivalent of the \u201cincidental take\u201d standard outlined in the ESA. The 2nd and 10th Circuit Courts of Appeal have agreed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that the MBTA is a strict liability statute, meaning it does not matter whether an entity intended to kill a bird. However, the 5th, 8th, and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeal hold that the MBTA only applies to direct, intentional actions such as hunting or poaching. As noted in the recent DOI memorandum, the text of the statute is ambiguous, so multiple interpretations can be expected.<\/p>\n<p>The latest memo concludes that the scope of the MBTA is limited to \u201caffirmative and purposeful actions, such as hunting and poaching.\u201d However, the DOI\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eenews.net\/assets\/2017\/02\/21\/document_ew_01.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reached the opposite conclusion<\/a>\u00a0in the final days of the Obama Administration by asserting that \u201cthe MBTA\u2019s prohibitions on taking and killing migratory birds apply broadly to any activity, subject to the limits of proximate causation.\u201d Given that two administrations have reached separate interpretations of the same law within a year of each other, operators should not consider this issue settled.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                                <div class=\"col-lg-4 columns\">\n                                                        <div class=\"js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                                <p>The DOI says there will be no more prosecutions for incidental take under the MBTA. Unless there is further guidance from the Supreme Court or Congress, however, it is possible that future administrations will interpret the act differently and reverse this latest decision. Therefore, TRC recommends that project developers and owners\/operators err on the side of caution and continue to evaluate opportunities to minimize the need for an incidental take permit under the MBTA while simultaneously preparing to make a case that this requirement does not apply to their specific project.<\/p>\n<p>TRC is actively monitoring developments regarding this DOI interpretation and related issues under the MBTA and the ESA. If you have questions, please contact our qualified biological and permitting staff.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<!-- End Block: acf\/wysiwyg -->\n\n<!-- Start Block: acf\/wysiwyg -->\n\n<section class=\"wysiwyg section-padding bg-white\">\n    <div class=\"container-fluid\">\n                    <div class=\"wysiwyg__wrapper\">\n        \n        <div class=\"row\">\n                        <div class=\"col-lg-12\">\n                                                                                \n                                                <\/div>\n\n                            <div class=\"col-lg-12 js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                    <h2>Next Steps<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Learn how TRC can help you\u00a0solve your wind power engineering challenges.<\/li>\n<li>Need help with permitting issues? Contact Diane Thomas at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:dthomas@trcsolutions.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dthomas@trcsolutions.com<\/a>\u00a0or at (307) 742-3843 to see how TRC\u2019s team of experts can assist you.<\/li>\n<li>Visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fws.gov\/birds\/policies-and-regulations\/laws-legislations\/migratory-bird-treaty-act.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Fish &amp; Wildlife Service\u2019s page on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/view.joomag.com\/trc-corporate-brochure\/0576770001494261605?short\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Check out our corporate brochure<\/a>\u00a0to see how TRC has been a groundbreaking engineering, environmental consulting and construction management firm since the 1960s.<\/li>\n<li>Follow us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TRC_Companies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/7886\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TRCCompanies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts on this post or ask us a question in the comments section at the bottom of the page.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>TRC\u2019s\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"mailto:sfmurphy@trcsolutions.com\"><em>Sean Murphy<\/em><\/a><em>,\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"mailto:ajain@trcsolutions.com\"><em>Aaftab Jain<\/em><\/a><em>, and\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"mailto:kgreuter@trcsolutions.com\"><em>Kensley Greuter<\/em><\/a><em>\u00a0contributed to this blog.<\/em><\/p>\n                <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n\n                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<!-- End Block: acf\/wysiwyg -->\n\n<!-- Start Block: acf\/innerpage-related-materials -->\n<section class=\"material-cards bg-purple-gradient\">\n    <div class=\"container-fluid js-animated-content animated-content\">\n        <div class=\"material-cards__headlines has-limited-item js-animated-content animated-content\">\n            <div class=\"material-card__content js-animated-content animated-content\">\n                <h2>Related Materials<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"material-card__link\">\n                            <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"row  js-related-marterial-container \" data-item=\"3\">\n                        <div class=\"col-xxs-12 col-lg-4 material-card-item\">\n                <div class=\"material-card\">\n                                            <div class=\"material-card__details \">\n                            <h5 class=\"material-card__title\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"30\" height=\"30\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/picture_as_pdf_24dp-black.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"picture_as_pdf_24dp-black\" \/>                                Corporate Brochure                            <\/h5>\n                            <p class=\"material-card__description\">Publi\u00e9 <\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"material-card__bttn\">\n                                                        <a href=\"https:\/\/viewer.joomag.com\/trc-corporate-brochure\/0576770001494261605?short\" target=\"_blank\"><span>t\u00e9l\u00e9charger le fichier<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sim_card_download_24dp-black.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"sim_card_download_24dp-black\" \/><\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"col-xxs-12 col-lg-4 material-card-item\">\n                <div class=\"material-card\">\n                                            <div class=\"material-card__details \">\n                            <h5 class=\"material-card__title\">\n                                <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"30\" height=\"30\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/picture_as_pdf_24dp-black.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"picture_as_pdf_24dp-black\" \/>                                Incidental Take Prohibited Under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act                             <\/h5>\n                            <p class=\"material-card__description\">Publi\u00e9 janvier 10, 2017<\/p>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"material-card__bttn\">\n                                                        <a href=\"https:\/\/legacy-assets.eenews.net\/open_files\/assets\/2017\/02\/21\/document_ew_01.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><span>t\u00e9l\u00e9charger le fichier<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.trccompanies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/sim_card_download_24dp-black.svg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"sim_card_download_24dp-black\" \/><\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"material-cards__bottom text-right hidden-lg\">\n                    <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<!-- End Block: acf\/innerpage-related-materials -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>TRC examines the Department of Interior&rsquo;s recent announcement that it will no longer prosecute incidental impacts to birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":14945,"template":"","tags":[260,305],"news-and-insights-category":[363],"services-category":[1018],"custom_category":[1009],"class_list":["post-1570","news-and-insights","type-news-and-insights","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-onshore-wind","tag-renewables","news-and-insights-category-insights","services-category-renewable-energy","custom_category-energy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>New Approach to Migratory Bird Treaty Act Takes Flight - TRC Companies<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"TRC examines the Department of Interior&#039;s recent announcement that it will no longer prosecute incidental impacts to birds under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link 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