TargetTalk

Lead Ammunition in Jeopardy in Washington State!

Please Stand-Up and Make Your Voice Heard!

The lead ammunition you use for hunting as well as target and competitive shooting will be banned from purchase, use and ownership in the state of Washington if the state's Department of Ecology has its way. Lead ammunition is a target of a series of recommendations in the "Lead Chemical Action Plan" prepared by the Department of Ecology.

The plan is open for public comment until Monday, October 6. The plan and information about submitting comments are available at: Lead Chemical Action Plan.

Lead shot has been banned in waterfowl hunting. Most recently, California passed a law that prohibits hunters from using lead ammunition in areas within the range of the California condor. A symposium was held in June in Boise, Idaho about the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife and humans. Most of the speakers supported a ban on lead ammunition, regardless of the cost, performance, and availability of substitutes. The Department of Ecology plan is yet another effort to remove lead ammunition nationwide.

Please take the time to submit comments to the Department of Ecology and to Governor Chris Gregoire (D). Let the Governor know that there is no adequate substitute for lead ammunition and that any affects on humans and wildlife do not justify a ban as recommended by her Department of Ecology. Governor Gregoire can be reached by phone at (360) 902-4111, by fax at (360) 753-4110, or click :here to send email. The Governor can also be reached by U.S. Mail at: Governor Chris Gregoire, Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002.

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/pbt/leadcap/

http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/default.asp

if they pass it here how long will it take to spread to other states??

Which is demonstrably more dangerous to humans - lead from fired ammunition, or cigarette smoke? How many billions a year in health costs has smoking added? Why isn't that banned first?

And french fries, too, those evil little artery cloggers.

And while they are at it, how about alfredo sauce, monkey bars, and running with scissors?

I say that we suggest depleated uranium as a good alternative to lead.

Oz

How many billions a year in health costs has smoking added?

Surely, you meant to say "How many billions a year in health costs has smoking saved?" as it has been demonstrated that the healthcare costs for smokers and fat people are lower, as they live shorter lives and die quickly, contrary to healthy folks that end up using Medicare for decades.

Not saying saying that there's anything morally or ethically wrong with that; just sick of hearing "omg smokers are drain on public health system" shouts.

P.S. Not a smoker.

On that basis, you might as well ban the automobile as that is a lethal weapon, how many get killed by cars in the US or any where for that matter?

It is known that lead pollution in the environment can have negative effects on wild life. Trouble is, there is no better metal than lead to do the job and depleted uranium must surely be out of the question on cost.

Governments never get their perspectives right or orders of importance.
So its got to be a political move against shooters.
We re cycle all the lead on our target ranges so none ends up in the environment, but that's impossible with shot guns out in the field.
Peeps

Before we get ourselves all worked up, let's take a look at what is actually proposed. Here is a link:

http://www.ecy.wa.gov/pubs/0807025.pdf

Here is perhaps the salient phrase, taken from the document cited above:

The CAP (Chemical Action Plan) does not include any recommendations to ban or regulate
lead in any type of ammunition beyond current law. This includes
all shotgun, rifle and handgun loads. Currently, lead shot is
banned for hunting all waterfowl, coot, snipe, and in specific
hunting areas (see below). These actions are taken where lead shot
is known to be or has the potential to be a significant source of
wildlife mortality.

One might be tempted to doubt the words, but it looks to me as if this is not a big deal.