EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban

EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban
Threat to ban lead in fishing tackle remains active.

Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Protection Agency

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today denied a petition calling for a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. EPA sent a letter to the petitioners explaining the rejection – that letter can be found below and here: https://www.epa.gov/oppt/chemtest/pubs/sect21.html

Steve Owens, EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, issued the following statement on the agency’s decision:

EPA today denied a petition submitted by several outside groups for the agency to implement a ban on the production and distribution of lead hunting ammunition. EPA reached this decision because the agency does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – nor is the agency seeking such authority.

This petition, which was submitted to EPA at the beginning of this month, is one of hundreds of petitions submitted to EPA by outside groups each year. This petition was filed under TSCA, which requires the agency to review and respond within 90 days.

EPA is taking action on many fronts to address major sources of lead in our society, such as eliminating childhood exposures to lead; however, EPA was not and is not considering taking action on whether the lead content in hunting ammunition poses an undue threat to wildlife.

As there are no similar jurisdictional issues relating to the agency’s authority over fishing sinkers, EPA – as required by law – will continue formally reviewing a second part the petition related to lead fishing sinkers.

Those wishing to comment specifically on the fishing tackle issue can do so by visiting https://www.regulations.gov. EPA will consider comments that are submitted by September 15.

It appears as if the EPA ruled in this fashion not because they wanted to or believe that the facts did not support a denial but because they did not have the authority to ban ammunition. As the threat still remains for them to ban lead in fishing there is still work to be done…AmmoLand.com

EPA Denies Petition Calling for Lead Ammunition Ban

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Mike - NJ Bird Watch

This has nothing to do with the environment.

This is purely a back door attack on firearms, hunting and shooting by well known anti gun activists.

As useless as the EPA is, in this case they are just a pawn in this game to take away your gun owner rights.

The CBD will be just as happy to land a damaging blow against fishing, by banning lead sinkers, even if they get denied on this attack on gun owners.

Rodney

Lead is NOT a toxic "man made chemical" that is poisoning the land and water. That is what man made chemicals called drugs or medications is doing. Lead comes naturally from the ground and hunting or fishing with lead is nothing more than putting the lead back into the ground where it came from to begin with, unlike man made chemicals. If these "nothing else to do except pass feel good laws" extremists want to ban something, why not ban the real toxins we are using everyday to poison man, animals, fish and drinking water! Man made chemicals. This is… Read more »