Fight Over Dinosaur Fossils Comes Down to "What is a Mineral?"

[Troodon]

Montana's Senate approved the Bill 50-0 which clarifies that fossils are part of a property’s surface right not it's mineral rights.  Now it goes to the Governor for signature...

looks like I will be digging in Montana this season 

 

https://www.apnews.com/2bbfc0515ca1422ea866d962ee9897e9

[CBchiefski]

3 hours ago, Troodon said:

Montana's Senate approved the Bill 50-0 which clarifies that fossils are part of a property’s surface right not it's mineral rights.  Now it goes to the Governor for signature...

looks like I will be digging in Montana this season 

 

https://www.apnews.com/2bbfc0515ca1422ea866d962ee9897e9

You beat me to posting the update haha. Yes, this is great news!

[Troodon]

53 minutes ago, CBchiefski said:

You beat me to posting the update haha. Yes, this is great news!

Indeed,  great news and happy to get this type of issue in the rear view mirror.  Lets get focused on finding fossils.

[Scylla]

4 hours ago, Troodon said:

Montana's Senate approved the Bill 50-0 which clarifies that fossils are part of a property’s surface right not it's mineral rights.  Now it goes to the Governor for signature...

looks like I will be digging in Montana this season 

 

https://www.apnews.com/2bbfc0515ca1422ea866d962ee9897e9

 (that's the "everything is in the right place" emoji) 

[Troodon]

Montana's governor has signed the bill clarifying ownership of fossils.    

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/montana/articles/2019-04-16/governor-signs-bill-clarifying-ownership-rights-to-fossils

 

[PaleoNoel]

3 hours ago, Troodon said:

Montana's governor has signed the bill clarifying ownership of fossils.    

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/montana/articles/2019-04-16/governor-signs-bill-clarifying-ownership-rights-to-fossils

[CBchiefski]

As usual, @Troodon is on top of the news, I can only add a pic of the actual bill with signatures formalizing it as law. This is a major step toward finally putting into writing the established viewpoint of fossils being truly significant beyond their composition. Hopefully, this will not only protect fossils collected in the past but will also prevent another Sue situation and provide clarity.  A major thanks to everyone in the picture posted above plus dozens more not present, it took many hours of work in order to make this law become a reality.