In a ruling late last week, the Environmental Protection agency said it did not have the jurisdiction to ban lead ammunition under the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Subchapter IV, Lead Exposure Reduction is the general legislation under which lead hazard and lead abatement rules and regulations resulted in the phaseout of leaded gasoline, and lead paint for interior use.

A portion of the petition which would also ban lead fishing sinkers, and other lead-weighted fishing tackle is still under consideration as of Sept. 2.

EPA had been requested by The Center of Biological Diversity, the Association of Avian Veterinarians, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Project Gutpile and the American Bird Conservancy to enact such a ban. Lead shot is already controlled in waterfowl hunting. These groups petitioned for a general ban contending that “the lead components of bullets, shotgun pellets, fishing weights and lures pose an unreasonable risk of injury to human and wildlife health and the environment.”

The petition was filed on August 3, according to an AP story filed August 28.

Opinion on both sides of this ruling seems more heated than usual on the Net. What do Traveler readers think?

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