A group of Republican senators are pushing back against a proposal by the Biden administration to outlaw lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands.
Last week the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) proposed a new rule prohibiting the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on federal lands by 2026, claiming without evidence it causes environmental lead poisoning.
In response, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) introduced the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2022 (S.4940) prohibiting the FWS, U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management from banning lead ammunition and tackle without support from state wildlife and fisheries agencies and scientific proof they cause harm.
“Sportsmen are the original conservationists and play an important role in wildlife management—the last thing we should do is limit their access to public lands by implementing a blanket-ban on traditional ammo and tackle. Not only would this affect our state agencies’ revenue but it’s also unfair to sportsmen who can’t access or afford lead alternatives and depend on hunting and fishing,” Daines said. “I’ll keep fighting to protect our hunting and fishing legacy and ensuring these decisions are guided by science, not politics.”
“Attempts to ban traditional ammunition and fishing tackle was a bad idea in the Obama years and later in the Green New Deal. It remains a flawed and scientifically unjustified notion under the Biden administration,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) a co-sponsor of Daines’ bill.
Scientific studies have shown lead ammunition and tackle do not raise environmental lead levels. States like California have banned lead shot on state lands, and many European nations have banned it as well, with no effect on environmental lead levels.
“The ‘science’ mentioned in the Federal Register is so weak the proposed ban wording claims lead shot and tackle ‘may’ cause harm. By using the word ‘may,’ the government is admitting they want to ban something they can’t prove is harmful,” writes Gun Owners of America.
It appears the rule is driven instead by anti-hunting and fishing radicals.
Gun Owners of America writes they expect “this is the start of a national ban on lead ammunition which will increase costs and decrease participation in America’s Centuries-Old Hunting Tradition.”
“The broad-brush Federal application of non-toxic, lead-free shot in regulation, will create barriers to participation and criminals out of hunters while offering no measurable conservation benefit. In most cases where this regulation has been applied, there was no documented problem and no demonstrated benefit and while it may be trendy to issue such blanket regulations, MOGA does not support regulation just for regulation’s sake,” said Mac Minard, Executive Director of the Montana Outfitters and Guides Association, endorsing Daine’s bill.
“Tie it to a demonstrated cause and effect and we will support, otherwise focus on issues that accomplish something; like delisting grizzly bears” added Minard.
The new rule comes after the FWS began negotiating a legal settlement last spring with radical activists, who sued to stop the use of traditional ammunition and lead on over three million acres of federal land.
Activists often use a tactic called “sue and settle” to impose schemes they do not have the support to enact into law, by suing friendly bureaucrats at the targeted agency, who then agree to settle the lawsuit so radical goals can be imposed as court orders.
The move to ban hunting and fishing on federal lands could end up causing environmental harm, as much of the funding to maintain and protect federal lands comes from excise taxes on ammunition and hunting and fishing equipment.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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NO I have to shoot coyotes & racoons OK
Seems like every day these left wing radicals come up with another of their stupid ideas that will restrict what people do, but serves no purpose for the country what so ever.They constantly prove why we need to purge every democrat from our government while we still have a chance, and before they totally destroy our constitutional republic.It seems like they are actually pushing this country into an armed revolution and they don’t seem to care if it does. When it happens, and it will , it will cause the United States of America to cease to exist.
Why don’t the Democrats just restrict all public resources to registered Democratic voters only. Sort of like members of the Communist Party in China or Russia.
Don’t give the demonrats any more stupid ideas, they have enough of their own already! This is one of obama’s Stupid ideas. The demonrats think by banning the cheaper, traditional ammunition hunter’s have used for years, and tackle fishermen have used, they can stop them. They know a lot of people hunt and fish to feed their families. They know the government is creating a food shortage, and they want to starve us out, while THEY have all the food they want. This bill cannot be passed! They are taking more of our rights away! They( Obama, Biden, Harris, Piglosi and the rest of them) need to be removed!
It amazes me how democrats are able to find ways to upset our way of life. What are they going to try to ban next, fingernail clippers? our country is run by a bunch of idiots who crave power over us. Don’t tolerate it any longer and vote them out!
Understand: the worthless Biden administration Will always attack the law abiding tax paying citizens of this country. They will do nothing about crime, they will do nothing to enforce and uphold the laws that they are sworn to uphold regarding immigration, but they will try to destroy your way of life. They are your enemy.
Why doesn’t this man get real and talk about real problems instead of made up bull problems?
this isn’t about hunting–it’s an end-around on stopping the use of guns. ‘oh–we’re not infringing on your constitutional right–you can have all the guns you want–we’re just making the ammunition illegal–you don’t have a constitutional right to that!’
Enjoy the flames Biden. You deserve your eternity in hell.
Brandon is just terrified that somebody will hunt HIM. That’s why he turned his luxurious beach house into a compound,