Court Rules Migratory Bird Treaty Act Does Not Apply to Oil Production

摘要

A federal court in North Dakota has dismissed charges that seven oil and gas companies had violated the Migratory Bird Treaty Act last year when 28 birds died at or near their reserve pits in the Williston Basin (United States v. Brigham Oil & Gas, D. N.D., No. 4:ll-po-005, 1/17/12).Judge Daniel L. Hovland of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota held Jan. 17 that the act was not intended to apply to commercial activities that indirectly cause the deaths of migratory birds. He dismissed the federal government's claims against four companies, while rejecting plea agreements with three others.