{
  "id": "RL32586",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "RL32586",
  "active": false,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 100155,
      "date": "2004-09-14",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-07T20:09:05.080788",
      "title": "Paleontological Resources Preservation Act: Proposal for the Management and Protection of Fossil Resources Located on Federal Lands",
      "summary": "Approximately 30% of the land in the United States is under the control of federal land\nmanagers. \nMuch of this public land is rich in paleontological [fossil] resources. Concern has been expressed\nover the management, conservation, and protection of these resources.\n There is no comprehensive statute or management policy for the protection or management of\nfossils located on federal lands. Federal authority for the management of such resources may be\nderived from a number of general statutes relating to the protection of public properties. The\napplicability of some of these statutes, such as the Antiquities Act and the Archaeological Resources\nProtection Act, is uncertain or limited. General authority for fossil protection also may be derived\nfrom general criminal theft statutes dealing with the theft of government property and from certain\nsite-specific statutes. There may also be certain regulatory authority which is provided by the\nstatutes governing each agency's operations.\n In May 2000, the Secretary of the Interior released a comprehensive report concerning the\nmanagement of fossils which are located on federal and Indian lands. The report was prepared at\nthe request of Congress and it is considered to be the authoritative study of fossils on these lands.\nIt has served as an impetus for federal legislation. The report outlined seven principles for the\neffective management of fossils which are located on federal land.\n Legislative activity concerning the protection of fossils located on federal lands has occurred\nin both the 107th and 108th Congresses. There have been two types of legislation: one type deals\nwith\nspecific fossil resources at a particular location; the other type provides comprehensive management\nand protection authority for fossils located on federal lands. In the 108th Congress, the Senate\npassed\n S. 546 , the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act. The bill has been referred to two\nHouse committees.  H.R. 2416 , a similar bill, has been introduced in the House. \nThe two bills provide a comprehensive approach to the management of fossils on federal lands, \nproviding uniform definitions, public programs, specific prohibitions, permit procedures, and civil\nand criminal penalties. The bills would not modify the general mining or reclamation laws, or apply\nto lands other than federal lands.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": false,
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/RL32586",
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      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "American Law"
  ]
}