Best practices for nuisance wildlife control operators in New York State

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Ch 3: Section one: Federal laws related to wildlife control

Agencies involved in the regulation of the nuisance wildlife control industry

The major agencies involved in regulating the NWCO industry at the federal level are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (US FWS), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the Department of Labor (OSHA). In special circumstances other federal agencies may have jurisdiction, such as the Federal Aviation Administration, which supervises wildlife control at airports.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Division of Wildlife Services (USDA-APHIS-WS) provides federal leadership in addressing wildlife damage issues, but doesn't have a regulatory role. They help manage wildlife to reduce damage to agriculture and natural resources, to minimize risks to human health and safety, and to help protect endangered and threatened species.

Here are brief descriptions of the most pertinent federal laws affecting the NWCO industry. These laws, which are part of the U.S. Code, may be found online and at most public libraries. We've included the website addresses and the citation for the relevant section of the U.S. Code. Reference librarians can help you find the law in the books, especially if you present the citation, such as "16 U.S.C. 1531-1544, 87 Stat. 884."

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