Posted on 08/09/2010 8:47:43 AM PDT by smokingfrog
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has received a petition to ban lead in hunting ammunition and fishing tackle, and Oregon wildlife officials are watching with some concern.
Also worried are people in the shooting sports.
“This is a serious issue for anyone who likes to target practice, shoot for fun or enjoy hunting, and will be a huge impact on shooting ranges across the nation,” said Mike McCarter, range master of the Albany Rifle and Pistol Club, which maintains a range at Saddle Butte east of Shedd.
“We are energizing our membership to send letters to the EPA in opposition of this petition,” McCarter said in an e-mail.
A coalition of conservation and other groups filed the petition with the EPA in Washington last Tuesday in order, they said, to stop lead from poisoning birds that may ingest the metal in the wild. They say thousands of tons of lead are left in the environment each year from spent bullets and fishing gear such as sinkers, and they say studies have shown harmful efefcts in eagles and other wildlife.
The EPA has 90 days from Tuesday to decide whether to ban the manufacture, processing and distribution in commerce of lead shot, bullets and fishing sinkers.
Opponents say substitute material would raise the price of hunting and fishing equipment, leading to fewer people hunting and fishing and cutting into the money available for wildlife management.
At CNS Firearms in Albany, co-owner Kevin Manske cites one example: A box of 50 rounds of one kind of .223 caliber lead-free ammo retails for $30, compared to about $20 for the same number of the regular kind.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has been monitoring the issue of lead ammunition for some time, ...
(Excerpt) Read more at democratherald.com ...
The Left only demands peer-review when they control the peer-review process.
Looks like it’s time to buy another 10,000 rounds of my favorite calibers.
Okay, copper jacketed depleted Uranium is fine...........
““We are energizing our membership to send letters to the EPA”
They couldn’t care less about your letters and petitions! I know because I’m regulated by them.
There is absolutely NO provision in The US Constitution for federal agencies(like the EPA)to be granted such sweeping powers dictating to people how to lead their lives(low-flo toilets,lead-free ammo etc.,etc.,).This agency should either be dismanteled or it’s scope VASTLY reduced!The same goes for The Department of Education!!
I bought a package of “lead-free” sinkers in three ounce size for fluke fishing in the river. They are apparently of cast iron and about half again as large as lead sinkers.
The rockchucker’s just a’smokin’! Mo’ brass! Mo’ lead! Mo’ powder!
Lead-free snickers! mmmmm Oh! Never mind. ;-)
This is poppycock...just another sideways attempt to destroy the 2nd amendment.
Here we go again... The same “science” that brought us the ban on DDT (resulting in millions of additional deaths since then due to mosquito-born disease).
The same “science” that brings us “global warming” (or coming ice age according to the same folks 30-40 years ago)...
The same “science” that brought us “Cap and Trade” tax...
There are areas here in Arkansas where you have to use “non-toxic” shot to hunt rabbits and squirrels - because these areas are in a particular watershed - connected to a protected area where waterfowl congregate.
What is interesting to me - some of the alternative metals for use in bullets... make them more likely to be “armor piercing”, but also make them less suitable for hunting... Nothing has the combined traits of lead that make it the perfect core for bullets - weight/harness/ease of handling. Technology has come up with some acceptable lead-alternatives in waterfowl loads (tungsten-based alloys being one example). But for the combination of expansion and down-range energy, lead has no equal.
A wise Freeper posted earlier that if lead munitions residue was dangerous, then Europe would be a toxic waste dump (instead of having abundant agriculture, and long-lived people).
But the Left would never let mere chemistry stand in the way of environmental demagoguery.
Bingo!
These folks better watch out what they wish for - where there is a will, we will find a way.
I cast my own bullets and have about 800 to 900 pounds of lead in the basement. Does that mean they will classify my house as a toxic waste dump and bulldoze it?
The day draws nigh when lead will be used for more than sporting purposes.
Trying to kill two birds with one stone here? Ban lead under the premise it harms the environment and take out the ammo all at the same time. Go pound lead, EPA.
Swans are notorius for getting hook, line and sinker stuck in their throats. But if you say that in the wrong quarters, they start talking about banning fishing line, which I'm certain kills lots of animals.
All animals are notorious for getting killed on roadways by vehicles, therefore, let's ban all vehicles.
They're working on it.
Let's just say that it would be really good if they didn't know it was there.
Why not ban animals instead?
Actually, they are energetically documenting all urban wildlife. The possibilities for control of human use of these areas abound, but then, so do the unforeseen consequences of uncontrolled varmints and predators.
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