Bill Summary
**Canyon's Law: Prohibition of M-44 Devices on Public Land**
Canyon's Law is a legislative bill aimed at banning the use of M-44 devices, commonly referred to as "cyanide bombs," on public land in the United States. M-44 devices utilize sodium cyanide, a highly toxic pesticide, to target and kill predatory animals such as coyotes and foxes that threaten livestock. However, sodium cyanide is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a Category One acute toxicant due to its severe health risks to humans and wildlife, including central nervous system damage and potential death.
The bill outlines several significant findings, highlighting the dangers associated with M-44 devices, including multiple incidents of accidental exposures to children and pets, as well as the indiscriminate killing of non-target species, including endangered animals. The legislation asserts that these devices are not only harmful but also ineffective, with a success rate of only 53% in killing targeted animals.
Under Canyon's Law, the deployment of M-44 devices on public land is strictly prohibited, and any devices already in use must be removed within 30 days of the law's enactment. The bill aims to protect public safety, wildlife, and the environment from the harmful effects of these toxic devices.
Possible Impacts
Here are three examples of how "Canyon's Law," which prohibits the use of M-44 devices (cyanide bombs) on public land, could affect people:
1. **Increased Safety for Children and Pets**: The prohibition of M-44 devices on public land will reduce the risk of accidental poisoning for children and pets. Incidents in which children and dogs were exposed to sodium cyanide highlight the dangers posed by these devices. By eliminating their use in public spaces, families can enjoy outdoor activities without the fear of encountering these harmful traps, leading to a safer environment for recreational activities.
2. **Impact on Livestock Owners**: While the law aims to protect public safety and wildlife, it may have mixed consequences for livestock owners who rely on M-44 devices to control predator populations that threaten their animals. Livestock owners may need to seek alternative methods for managing predators, which could involve additional costs, time, and effort. This could lead to discussions about finding balanced approaches to wildlife management that ensure both the safety of livestock and the protection of public land users.
3. **Legal and Regulatory Changes**: The enactment of Canyon's Law may prompt a reevaluation of wildlife management practices at the federal and state levels. Agencies that previously utilized M-44 devices may need to adjust their strategies for managing predator populations. This could lead to new regulations, public discourse on wildlife control methods, and potential shifts in funding or resources allocated to wildlife management. Stakeholders may need to engage in conversations about ethical and effective ways to address predator issues without resorting to toxic methods.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2179 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2179
To prohibit the use of M-44 devices, commonly known as ``cyanide
bombs'', on public land, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 26 (legislative day, June 24), 2025
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr.
Van Hollen, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Schiff, and Ms. Alsobrooks) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Environment and Public Works
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit the use of M-44 devices, commonly known as ``cyanide
bombs'', on public land, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as ``Canyon's Law''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Sodium cyanide is the highly toxic pesticide active
ingredient used in M-44 devices, also known as ``cyanide
bombs'', and is used to kill coyotes, foxes, and wild dogs
suspected of preying on livestock and poultry.
(2) Sodium cyanide is registered for restricted use under
the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7
U.S.C. 136 et seq.) as a Category One acute toxicant, the most
hazardous Environmental Protection Agency classification
available, due to the harm it poses to people and the
environment.
(3) Poisoning by sodium cyanide leads to central nervous
system depression, cardiac arrest, respiratory failure,
paralysis, and blindness.
(4) The Environmental Protection Agency authorizes the use
of M-44 devices nationwide, and in recent years, M-44s were
used in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico,
Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
(5) In 2017, an M-44 device exposed an Idaho child to a
sublethal dose of sodium cyanide with subsequent short-term and
long-term medical complications. Two Wyoming children were also
exposed to the poison from another M-44 device. Three family
dogs died in these two separate incidents. More than 50 family
dogs have been documented as killed by M-44 devices since 1990.
The full count is estimated to be significantly higher.
(6) The indiscriminate M-44 device commonly harms nontarget
wildlife and people; at least 42 people have accidentally
triggered a cyanide bomb causing exposure to cyanide gas and
injuries since 1984. A Utah man, who was poisoned by an M-44
device in 2003 and permanently disabled, died in 2018 with
cyanide poisoning from exposure to an M-44 device listed as a
contributing cause of death on his death certificate.
(7) M-44 devices kill targeted animals only 53 percent of
the time. Thousands of nontarget species of animals have been
killed by M-44s, including bald eagles, golden eagles, gray
wolves, black bears, grizzly bears, bobcats, fishers, and
family dogs.
(8) Despite the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
determining in 1993 that M-44 devices could kill endangered
species like the California Condor, the use of the M-44
continues in areas where endangered species are found and
continues to result in the deaths of endangered species.
SEC. 3. USE OF M-44 DEVICES ON PUBLIC LAND PROHIBITED.
(a) In General.--Preparing, placing, installing, setting,
deploying, or otherwise using an M-44 device on public land is
prohibited.
(b) Removal.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, any Federal, State, or county agency that has
prepared, placed, installed, set, or deployed an M-44 device on public
land shall remove each such M-44 device from public land.
(c) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) M-44 device.--
(A) In general.--The term ``M-44 device'' means a
device designed to propel sodium cyanide when triggered
by an animal.
(B) Common names.--The term ``M-44 device''
includes any device that may be commonly known as an
``M-44 ejector device'' or an ``M-44 predator control
device''.
(2) Public land.--The term ``public land'' means any
Federal land under the administrative jurisdiction of a public
land management agency.
(3) Public land management agency.--The term ``public land
management agency'' means each of, or a combination of, the
following:
(A) The National Park Service.
(B) The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
(C) The Bureau of Land Management.
(D) The Bureau of Reclamation.
(E) The Forest Service.
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