Lead Ban on All National Parks Land & Water

[Mergie Master]

Anyone know if this also includes national forest land?

Proposed lead ban causes stir

The American Sportfishing Association, an Alexandria-based trade group, isn't happy with an arbitrary decision by the National Park Service that would ban the use of lead components in fishing tackle in all national parks by 2010. The ban also would include lead component ammunition used by hunters.

An official with the trade group said it was surprised and dismayed by the announcement.

"Their intention to eliminate the use of lead in fishing tackle in national parks was made without prior consultation of the sportfishing industry or the millions of recreational anglers who fish within the national park system," ASA vice president Gordon Robertson said.

Robertson is particularly upset with the move because in a Jan. 21 executive memo by President Barack Obama to federal agency and department heads, the president made it clear that he wants the federal government to be "transparent, participatory and collaborative" and that "executive departments and agencies should offer Americans increased opportunities to participate in policy making and to provide their government with the benefits of their collective expertise and information."

Naturally, all 60 million American sport anglers would appreciate it if government employees were to heed the president's order.

For example, a lead ban would include fishermen's slip sinkers, heads of spinnerbaits and jigs, lead-based eyes on certain fly fishing poppers and streamers, any lead sinkers used by bait dunkers and tackle items.

What bothers the sportfishing group and various shooting organizations is the quiet way the park service went about the lead ban. Normally, user groups might have been notified about such changes and would have been invited to discuss the plans, which can affect so many Americans.

"The NPS policy announcement does not explain how this decision was reached, why it may be necessary or how this rule will be implemented," Robertson said. "To our knowledge, there has been no proposed rule, nor any opportunity for public comment. We request that the NPS withdraw this proposal and discuss the rationale for it with the appropriate stakeholders before taking further action."

However, the park service said visitors and wildlife have something to cheer about regarding the agency's "stepped-up efforts to reduce lead" in national park environments.

"Our goal is to eliminate the use of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle in parks," National Park Service acting director Dan Wenk said. "We want to take a leadership role in removing lead from the environment."

This effort would include various activities, such as the culling of wildlife or the dispatching of wounded or sick animals. Rangers would have to use non-lead ammunition to "prevent environmental contamination as well as lead poisoning of scavenger species who may eventually feed upon the carcass," Wenk said.

The park service said nontoxic substitutes for lead, such as tungsten, copper and steel, are widely available.

The parks people cited California and Arizona, which have implemented bans on lead ammunition to facilitate California condor recovery. They also mentioned Yellowstone National Park, where restrictions on lead fishing tackle have been in effect because officials believe the limitations will protect native species and their habitats.

[MattB]

"We want to take a leadership role in removing lead from the environment."

Where does he think lead comes from? The non-environment I guess.

[tradorion]

reminds me of the saying from my Army days on training-- We're so fucking safe we are dangerous....

The level of stupidity in such a move as this amazes me-- talk about not seeing the forest for the trees.

They had better make sure that the tire balancing weights are made of a non-toxic substance as well b/c heaven forbid someone leave lead laying on the roadside

[DeltaDucks]

I think some people absolutely have nothing better to do than to sit around and come up with STUPID Crap!

[MattB]

No Delta, see, politicians have found a way to dump toxic compounds into other dimensions, thereby they do not exist in ours anymore. Thats how they make them illegal. They're just one step ahead of everyone else. Retenone kills fish, and can be made from walnut shells, but the government is going to outlaw that too and put all walnuts in other dimensions.

[Mergie Master]

Well for one thing there ain't supposed to be any 'national parks' or 'national forests' in the first place. My Constitution says the federal government is only allowed to own 10 square miles of land around the capital. All other land is supposed to be private or owned by the states.

But Teddy Roosevelt crapped on the Constitution and no one seemed to care enough to even attempt to challenge him.

[btduckcall]

mergie inform my dumb ass where is that at , not arguing the point but i have not seen it
before so iam truly asking where it is at in it.

[willmac1211]

hey trad who would partrol this??? is there gonna be covert ops to see if i am using lead sinkers. i would like to see that. "i am gonna have to write you a $500 ticket for that lead weight you got. because it didnt come from the enviornment."