EPA Rejects Challenge to Lead-Containing Bullets and Ammo
Here is some good news from Washington for a change. Perhaps motivated by official protests from the NSSF and hunting groups across the nation, the EPA announced on July 27th that it has rejected the petition from five environmental groups to ban bullets and ammunition that contain lead. The petition sought to ban lead-based ammo under the federal Toxic Substances Act. The EPA’s surprising reversal came just days after the EPA had invited public comments on the proposed ban.
EPA Lacks Jurisdiction to Ban Hunting Ammunition
In a letter to the petitioners, the EPA declared that it had no jurisdiction under the Toxic Substances Act to order or enforce a ban on bullets and ammo containing lead.
This should put to rest the challenge to lead bullets and ammunition — for the time being. However, the EPA announced it is still reviewing the environmental groups’ request to ban lead fishing sinkers.
8.27.2010 LETTER from EPA Denying Petition under Toxic Substances Act.
CLICK HERE for related story on EPA rejection of proposed lead ammo ban.
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Tags: Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Lead Ammo, lead bullets
The important part of this statement is not that the EPA refused to ban lead in ammunition. The important part is that the EPA recognized the limits of the power given to them under the Toxic Substances Act and chose to abide by those limits.
This should end this line of attack on firarms and shooting once and for all, since they aren’t likely to be granted the authority to ban lead ammunition under any current bill. Just my $.02 anyway.
The EPA should look at the locating of a ship that sank in Manila bay over 400 years ago, and found the lead balls were intact whereas the steel cannon balls dissolved in the sea water. The National Geographic Published an article on this ship circa 1992. Lead sinkers do not dissolve nor do fish eat them, only very small sinkers might be ingested by migratory waterfowl, but then there are still a lot of lead shot in estuaries that will never be reclaimed nor will it cause harm to the environment.
Richard Whiting, Author, NRA Range Manual and studies on lead in the environment