17 Former Officials Urge Interior To Rethink Rules On Killing Birds

"A group of former Interior Department officials from both major parties who served under the past eight presidents pressed the Trump administration Wednesday to reconsider its move to ease restrictions against killing birds.

The 17 former political appointees and career officials, who include Senate-confirmed members of the Carter, Nixon, Ford, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama administrations, sent a letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke asking him to reverse the department’s new interpretation of a century-old law used to prosecute oil firms and other companies for killing migratory birds. Career officials who served under Ronald Reagan also signed the letter.

“This legal opinion is contrary to the long-standing interpretation by every administration (Republican and Democrat) since at least the 1970s,” the group wrote in the letter, which was also sent to members of Congress."

Dino Grandoni and Juliet Eilperin report for the Washington Post January 12, 2018.