 Founded to Serve |
 Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. |
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Founded to Serve |
Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. |
| To all fellow rock hounds and
lapidarians:
As we all have spent these last few years on the third rock from the sun we have witnessed a constant increase in our population and the growth of suburbs and now the development of the countryside; farms and forests. We are experiencing an exponential population growth. Essentially, this means that our growth it is not a somewhat steady straight line of increasing numbers as depictable on a graph but one that moves in greater numbers as our population grows. Eventually, there won' be any if at all available public land to explore for collecting. We can't stop progress as we're told but we do have a right to protect our hobby and be able to pass on to our grandchildren and their children a fine heritage of collecting gems & minerals. We are a corporation that is structured as a non-profit organization that can't involve itself in politics as a entity. I spent 25 years in the Federal Gov't. and have been thoroughly indoctrinated in our inability to participate in openly supporting political candidates, but I still had the right to vote. As individuals in the SFMS you have the right to voice your opinions on political issues. You are not restricted as long as you are not sponsoring SFMS STOP THE EROSION of YOUR PUBLIC LAND RIGHTS IT IS NOT TOO LATE ! The fossil bill " The Paleontological Resource Preservation Act" continues to move through Congress. The U.S. Senate version S-546 was passed by unanimous consent which was a voice vote not an actual vote count. The American Lands Access Association (A.L.A.A.) and amateur collectors were able to have some parts of the bill that were objectionable eliminated. However, some other objectionable language remains and new problems have been added. It will undoubtedly have a negative impact on amateur collectors nationwide. The Senate voice passed Bill was referred to the U.S. House of Representatives were it is being considered by the Committee on Resources. The House of Representatives already has a companion Bill introduced a few months ago, HR 2416. It would seem inevitable that a fossil bill of some configuration will pass both the House & Senate and probably be signed by the President. Therefore, all interested amateur collectors should obtain a copy of the proposed legislation, review it, and write letters to their Members of the House of Representatives to let them know your feelings. If you don't impress on them the way you feel, someone else will and that someone may sway them into supporting this Bill. The A.L.A.A. is most concerned by the penalty provisions of the Senate Bill and the "Rewards Forfeiture" sections. There are provisions that supposedly prevent the Act from being applied to rock and invertebrate fossil collecting, but the actual language should be improved. Commercial fossil collecting will definitely be prohibited. The historical role that amateur collectors/hobbists have played in the advancement of Paleontology will be severely curtailed. Only qualified professional paleontologist will be allowed to collect vertebrate fossils regardless of their scientific significance. Supposedly, this is a better Bill than its predecessors but it still needs changes to lessen the impact upon amateur collectors. Copies of the passed Senate Bill and proposed Bill in the House of Representatives are available by calling your U.S. Representative's office and or on Internet at <thomas.loc.gov> using the Bill numbers, S - 546 and HR 2416. Your letters and comments to your U.S. Congressmen have helped change this bill from the original "Baucus Bill" introduced in 1991. You can continue to help the final language to better recognize the contributions that amateur collectors/hobbyists make to the Science. If you are not a member of the American Lands Access Association a non-profit 501(C)(4) organization, join today! Your contribution goes solely to help "lobby" Congress in support of our interest as amateur collectors/hobbyists. Protecting the public lands for the public [Membership Application in PDF format for printing.]
Membership Information: Any person or organization who wishes to support the ALAA and supports the ALAA purpose statement may join the organization by paying the annual dues. MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE: INDIVIDUAL
MEMBERSHIP
- $25.00
Members receive copies of the
quarterly
ALAA Newsletter.
ALAA TREASURER NORMAN W. HANSCHU, Treasurer
Phone: (734) 455-8596
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The Southeast Federation of Mineralogical Societies, Inc. Send e-mail to: sfms@amfed.org |
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