The Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday finalized its reinterpretation of a regulation that defines the scope of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, relieving companies and individuals of any legal liability for killing migratory birds if the deaths are deemed accidental.

“This rule simply reaffirms the original meaning and intent of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by making it clear that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not prosecute landowners, industry and other individuals for accidentally killing a migratory bird,” Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said in a statement. “This opinion has been adopted by several courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.”