"Interior: Right And Left Wings Battle Over Migratory Bird Treaty"

"Federal officials might be grounded from pursuing companies whose operations incidentally kill migratory birds, under a two-pronged maneuver now advancing publicly on Capitol Hill and quietly inside the Interior Department.

Homebuilders and the oil, gas and mining industries, among others, all care about what happens next. So should the avian population, currently protected by a Migratory Bird Treaty Act that's riddled by confusion about the crucial word "take."

"This ambiguous language has led to overzealous [federal] guidance and regulations on energy operators in my state," said Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.). "It's not just oil and gas; this is also hindering our wind turbine operators as well as homebuilders and coal mines."

But environmentalists oppose the efforts."

Michael Doyle reports for Greenwire November 22, 2017.