Environmental groups not accepting the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to reject the petition to ban lead fishing lures and hunting ammunition have filed suit against the EPA.
The Center for Biological Diversity, Project Gutpile and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility have banded together to try to force the EPA’s hand on the issue of lead in outdoor sports.
The original petition was filed requesting the EPA to ban lead in ammunition and tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The EPA denied the petition saying it did not have jurisdiction to enforce and that this was a state and local management issue.
Similarly, the state of Washington’s fate for lead in tackle and shooting sports for 13 bodies of water will be decided on Saturday by committee according to a news release on the ASAFishing.org website
The lead ban is a touchy subject with anglers. It’s hard to prove what the perfect solution is. Most anglers are staunch protectors of their fisheries. However the lead ban is changing traditions and many have said the science doesn’t support the claims to the widespread effect on wildlife populations.
Alternatives exist but the impacts to the fishing and ammunition industries would be monumental. And high-cost alternatives would make fishing and hunting too costly for many, reducing the sports to elitist levels that take away the quintessential essence of what makes hunting and fishing so readily available to all generations.
Hopefully alternatives become available that will someday make lead obsolete, but until that time comes this will be a hotly debated topic that isn’t going to go away without a fight.
Love to hear your thoughts. But play nice! We’re all after the same thing, little green and brown fish.
