Federal Court in NY Vacates Solicitor Opinion Restricting Scope of Migratory Bird Treaty Act to Actions Directed at Birds
August 12, 2020
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) makes it a misdemeanor, “unless permitted by regulations” to “pursue, hunt, take, capture, [or] kill” migratory birds “by any means or in any manner.” 16 U.S.C. Section 703(a). For years, the Interior Department interpreted the Act as prohibiting so-called “incidental takes” - deaths of birds by activities undertaken for other purposes, such as construction of…