Canyon’s Law
Ban on Cyanide Bombs on Public Lands
Canyon’s Law is currently in the early stages of the legislative process. It was recently introduced in the Senate and sent to the Committee on Environment and Public Works for review. The bill is actively moving as it waits for the committee to discuss it.
Legislative Progress
While the bill has support from environmental groups, it lacks Republican cosponsors and faces strong pushback from the livestock industry.
Key Points
- This bill would stop the use of M-44 devices, which are often called cyanide bombs, on all federal public lands. These devices are small traps that spray a deadly poison called sodium cyanide when an animal pulls on them. They are currently used to kill coyotes and other predators that might attack farm animals.
- The law is named after a boy named Canyon who was accidentally poisoned by one of these traps in 2017 while walking with his dog. The trap killed his dog and left the boy with long term health problems. Since 1984, at least 42 people and many family pets have been hurt or killed by these devices.
- If this bill becomes law, government agencies would have 30 days to find and remove all cyanide bombs from land managed by the Forest Service, the National Park Service, and other federal groups. This would make public lands safer for hikers, hunters, and families who visit these areas.
- Supporters of the ban say these traps are dangerous because they are not specific. They often kill animals they are not meant for, including bald eagles, bears, and endangered species. Critics of the ban, like some ranchers, worry that losing these tools will make it harder to protect their livestock from predators.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Canyon’s Law
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(9)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.