§470aaa–3 Collection of Paleontological Resources

Summary

You must have a permit to collect fossils from Federal land, unless the chapter allows otherwise. The Secretary must allow casual collecting without a permit on lands run by the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Forest Service when those agencies’ rules and this law allow it. Permits issued before March 30, 2009 stay valid. The Secretary can close or limit areas to protect resources or public safety. The Secretary may issue a permit only if the applicant is qualified, the work helps paleontological knowledge or public education, it fits the land’s management plan, and the methods won’t harm important natural or cultural resources. Permits must say the fossils remain U.S. property, that fossils and records go to an approved public repository for research and education, and that exact site locations cannot be released without the Secretary’s written permission. The Secretary may change, suspend, or revoke permits for management or safety reasons or for violations, and must revoke a permit if someone working under it is convicted under section 470aaa–5 or assessed a civil penalty under section 470aaa–6.