(Newser)
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Jets' collisions with birds have caused two emergency landings in New York in the past week, and geese in the engine prompted the near-disaster before the miracle landing on the Hudson in 2009. Now, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says it's time to let wildlife officials cull the goose population near JFK Airport. "We cannot afford to sit back and wait for a catastrophe to occur before cutting through bureaucratic red tape between federal agencies," says the New York Democrat, who has proposed legislation to clear roadblocks to the process.
Her bill, which focuses on the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, would speed an environmental study and pave the way for culling while geese are molting, starting in June; at that time they're flightless. Animal advocates are fighting the legislation, the Los Angeles Times reports. "Help us stop impending bird massacre!" said one commenter on a pro-Canada Goose Facebook page.
