In Environmental Network News today, the EPA has reopened a case of 16 Georgia quail-hunting operations. Apparently they only fined four in the original case of poisoning critters that come on their ranches to dine on quail eggs. And, apparently, that wasn't enough to stop the activity.
While it seems reasonable that they should be protecting their investment on their own property, it turns out the effects spread beyond their property lines. Funny how that happens.
Some of the plantations had faced millions of dollars in potential fines for allegedly setting out chicken eggs laced with the pesticide Furadan to kill foxes, raccoons, possums, skunks, and other animals who prey on quail eggs. As an unintentional result, the poisoned animals then became poisoned bait themselves, attracting and killing alligators, songbirds, snakes, bald eagles, hawks, vultures, and other creatures.
The EPA wouldn't name the plantations, though investigations in 1999 found evidence of illegal poisoning on at least 16 plantations.
...Last year, the EPA announced that it was reopening the cases against the plantations — including the ones that were fined — saying that the violations warranted stiffer fines and that the penalties had been insufficient to deter further illegal wildlife poisoning.
Plantation owners have said reopening the cases amounted to government harassment.
Apparently, the "plantation" owners don't give a rat's patootie what happens outside their property lines. If it went so far as to kill their potential customers, I'm sure that would be a different matter.
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are moderated. There may be some delay before your comment is published. It all depends on how much time M has in the day. But please comment!