[Smokin' Joe]

That law forbids collection of vertebrate fossils on public land - makes it a federal Felony, in fact.

It makes sure they become crumbling fragments in washes and creekbeds instead of maybe being collected and preserved for study later, or inspiring a youngster to become a scientist...

[sauropod]

Precisely correct.

We fought against this for quite a few years. It was finally passed by being bundled into an Omnibus environMENTAList bill.