I am definitely not the first to mention this – however it’s worth examining the coverage that the ban has received. According to the NSSF, the EPA wants to ban all traditional lead core ammunition under the Toxic Substances Act. Honestly, my first reaction to seeing this was “that has got to be a hoax, there is no way the EPA is that stupid”. Sadly I was wrong.
Reaction has been predictable; it’s been pointed out that the EPA lacks the authority to do this, even though that probably won’t stop them. Other have expressed the point that banning lead ammo is actually a really good way to get a bunch of people who are not invested in this fight to become suddenly and aggressively invested. Lots and lots of people have commented on how this is the administrations way of taking a run at gun owners – which coincidentally is similar to line in a Chris Rock comedy bit where he proposed keeping guns legal but making each bullet cost $500 (or something along those lines, it’s been a while). The point obviously is that a ban on traditional lead core ammo would devastate the shooting community. Non-lead ammo such as mild steel is already illegal as it’s classified as armor piercing, and sintered copper/tin projectiles are prohibitively expensive for most shooters.
So what can we do about it? Obviously, since the EPA restriction is open for public comment, click this link to submit a comment. NSSF has recommended some talking points for said comment:
* There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations.
* Wildlife management is the proper jurisdiction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the 50 state wildlife agencies.
* A 2008 study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on blood lead levels of North Dakota hunters confirmed that consuming game harvested with traditional ammunition does not pose a human health risk.
* A ban on traditional ammunition would have a negative impact on wildlife conservation. The federal excise tax that manufacturers pay on the sale of the ammunition (11 percent) is a primary source of wildlife conservation funding. The bald eagle’s recovery, considered to be a great conservation success story, was made possible and funded by hunters using traditional ammunition – the very ammunition organizations like the CBD are now demonizing.
* Recent statistics from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service show that from 1981 to 2006 the number of breeding pairs of bald eagles in the United States increased 724 percent. And much like the bald eagle, raptor populations throughout the United States are soaring.
Additionally, contact your Senators and Congressman. While this isn’t yet a legislative issue, blowing up the phone lines on Cap Hill never hurt our team, and now would be a good time to do it. Finally, contact the person at EPA responsible for all of this, Lisa Jackson. Her email address is [email protected] and I’d encourage you to use the talking points listed above in your communication.
One final point – when contacting you Senators and Congressman, find out if they’re up for re-election. If they are, very politely remind them that this EPA has to make a decision on this the day before election day, and your Senator/Congressman’s strong and vocal opposition to a lead ammo ban will go a long way towards guaranteeing a vote from a happy(ish) constituent.
Is it just me..or does pretty much everyone with the last name of “Jackson” end up being a complete and total wackjob?
Michael Jackson
La Toya Jackson
Jesse Jackson
And now Lisa Jackson.
Probably a few more I’ve forgotten.
To be more accurate, the EPA has been petitioned by outside groups to ban lead in ammunition, and is soliciting public comment.
http://weeklystandard.com/blogs/epa-reviewing-request-ban-led-bullets
The petition document is here:
http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#docketDetail?R=EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0681
Yikes! These people never, never, never give up; that’s why we can never drop our guard.
http://www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/pubs/Owens_Petition_Response.pdf
10/27 Letter from the EPA stating that it does not have authority to ban lead shot and bullets. Still is reviewing lead sinkers.
Many years ago, I was told to avoid direct contact with Federal regulators. Through several campaigns, I have found that good advice – or at least the side I was on won. And the other side filled up the bureaucrats mail trays and now their in boxes.
Lisa Jackson is a dedicated anti-hunter. As such, relating the benefits of hunting are not likely to produce a favorable result. But she is also a bureaucrat – dependent on Congress for funding, and for her cabinet level prestige with a non-cabinet level job. If Congress speaks, Jackson will obey. So Congress should be the place to start.
Followed by a “letter to the editor” to alert your fellow gunnies about the pending disaster. And to encourage them to call Senator Bulgebottom and Congresswoman Butts. Frequently, often, politely, but with great vehemence.
From experience, internet comments are read in reverse order. Those posted late are read first. So do comment. But take your time and work on it. When it is as good as you can make it, write it up in Word or Open Office, and copy and paste it to the comment page. In the last two weeks of October.
Finally, it should also be noted, but not repeated, that about half the EPA’s $10.5 billion dollar budget amounts to pork. And there will be no 2011 Federal budget until next year. When Congress should be much stingier. Another reason for Jackson to studiously avoid Congressional scrutiny of her 18,000 man demesne.
Stranger
We actually won already – EPA just announced that they will not pursue a ban on lead ammo as they lack the authority to so do.
Ya know..I’D GLADLY stop using lead ammo if those hippies would buy the non-toxic stuff for me. 😉
While we may have won this round this really is a long-term game that’s being played with our rights. I’m hopeful that the 2012 elections will send a clear message to these clowns that 4 years of this kind of BS from health care to this will NOT be tolerated.
That said, it really would be prudent for our hobby to get weaned off of it’s dependence for lead. Sure, it’s cheap and all and I know they’d just move onto whatever alloy we chose as a replacement but if it took them this long just to get brave enough to go after lead then switching to something new hopefully would buy us some much needed time to either let the rest of these crooks die off or get them out of office.
Myself, I’m getting tired of being afraid of the government and law enforcement people we “supposedly” put into office and it should be the other way around. But that gets into another whole hill of ants that I’m not going to kick over. *sigh*
When Govt serves the people it’s a Democracy.
When the people serve the Govt it’s Communism.
Which are we closer to nowadays?
Also if all these bleeding heart liberals could be grouped together I’d happily give them some of my lead bullets…….
😉
“* There is no scientific evidence that the use of traditional ammunition is having an adverse impact on wildlife populations”
according to “view from the porch” blog..
*There is anecdotal evidence that the banning of traditional ammunition would have an adverse impact on government bureaucrat populations.”
That might be the funniest comment I’ve seen so far.