Fossil Resources on Public Lands
Paleontology Laws
The major laws protecting fossils on federal lands are the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (1976), the National Environmental Policy Act (1969), and various sections of Part 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations. There is absolutely no commercial collection of fossils on Federal lands. Permits for collection are issued by the BLM, primarily for vertebrate fossil specimens (animals with a backbone). Usually no permit is needed for the small-scale collection of invertebrate specimens (animals without a backbone) as long as you are not collecting in a special use area - like a Wilderness Study Area or Area of Critical Environmental Concern (Learn More). Check with the BLM office nearest you for permitting regulations and the locations of special use areas.
Paleontology Permits
Survey and Excavation Permits
There are two types of permits that are issued to qualified vertebrate paleontologists.
1) Exploration permits, which are survey permits and allow the holder to search for evidence of vertebrate fossils, and remove surface bones, but to disturb less than one square meter of the surface. An exploration / survey permit is also issued to qualified paleontological consultants for the purpose of investigating commercial ventures, such as: pipelines, coal mines, oil & gas pads, powerlines, roads or any major disturbing activity that may occur in areas that are suspected to have significant paleontological values.
2) Excavation permits allow the permittee to dig trenches to further explore for buried bones, dig pits to remove buried bones, and open an area to the bone bed that is large enough to map, photograph and work safely to remove the discovered bones. Before authorizing an excavation permit, the BLM needs to assess potential impacts to the area, including a review by a BLM archeologist and a BLM wildlife biologist. An environmental assessment must be written to document any and all concerns and must be approved by the field manager.
For information on Paleontology Permits visit the pages below. For information on states that do not appear below contact the BLM State Office in that state.
California
Utah
Nevada
