A concurrent resolution urging Congress to permit the use of M-44 sodium cyanide devices on any land.
Summary
SCR 4012 is a concurrent resolution urging Congress to allow the use of M-44 sodium cyanide devices on any land. The resolution states that these devices are effective predator-control tools used by USDA Wildlife Services to protect livestock and assist with control of wild animals, including animals that prey on threatened and endangered species. It also asserts that, when properly used, the devices pose no occupational risk to humans and that existing warning-sign and safety precautions reduce danger.
The resolution does not change North Dakota law directly. Instead, it expresses the Legislature’s position and asks Congress to revise federal restrictions so M-44 devices may be used more broadly, including on any land. If adopted at the federal level, the requested change would affect predator-control practices, livestock producers, and USDA Wildlife Services operations, particularly in rural and agricultural areas where predator losses are a concern.
Impact
SCR 4012 has no direct legal effect on state statutes or regulations because it is a concurrent resolution directed to Congress rather than a bill amending North Dakota law. Its practical impact is political and advocacy-based: it formally communicates North Dakota’s support for expanded federal permission to use M-44 sodium cyanide devices for predator control. The resolution is aimed at federal policymakers and could influence future federal wildlife-management policy affecting livestock producers, land managers, and USDA Wildlife Services.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment appears strongly supportive of the resolution’s purpose. The House adopted the measure on second reading by a wide margin, 87-5, indicating broad legislative backing for the call to expand M-44 use. The text frames the devices as necessary and effective tools for protecting livestock and supporting predator-control efforts, and there is no committee transcript showing substantial opposition in the available record.
Contention
The main point of contention is the safety and appropriateness of M-44 sodium cyanide devices, especially concerns about human exposure, non-target animals, and the use of poison-based predator control on public or private lands. Supporters, including the resolution’s sponsors, emphasize effectiveness, USDA Wildlife Services’ safety precautions, and the need to restore or expand access to the devices. The small number of dissenting votes suggests some legislators remained concerned about the risks or ethics of the devices, even though the resolution passed comfortably.
A concurrent resolution urging Congress to enact legislation allowing a landowner to terminate a perpetual easement owned by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service within the state.
A concurrent resolution urging Congress to enact legislation allowing a landowner to terminate a perpetual easement owned by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service within the state.