Law Assignment

Vague Laws : A Threat to Scientific Gains Made In Paleontology

Background Information

Fossils provide very important scientific and educational information about the history of the earth . However , in the recent years they have been converted into commercial items . Private prospectors , some which possess very little knowledge or even about paleontology have ventured into the US fossil rich , vast western plains and are now plundering valuable fossils which otherwise would have been used for the benefit of the nation through scientific and educational purposes . The commercialization of fossil excavation and its recent

popularity can partly be pointed to the realistic reincarnation of dinosaurs as was depicted in the film Jurassic Parks and chiefly to the increasing demand for fossils in many parts of the world whereby they are now available in stores , auctions and other easily accessible sites . [Lundgren (1998 )] The case of Alan and VanArsdale is an example , that people can during their free time or during vacations wander into the badlands of the western US and carry out fossil digging . [Alan Van Arsdale (2003 )] Current Law on Fossil Protection

Currently there is no comprehensive federal legislation or even a single federal policy that truly govern the management and protection of fossils that lies in the US federal public lands . [Alan Van Arsdale (2003 )] The few legislations which exist are either outdated (i .e , they lack the provisions to tackle commercial prospecting of fossils ) or are not in agreement with one another (i .e , they greatly...