Stand up for your right to make and use tackle containing lead

[Corker]

Early in August, an environmental organization petitioned EPA to ban the use of lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. Federal law allows these petitions and requires EPA to act quickly. With little fanfare, EPA requested public comments on banning lead bullets, shot, sinkers, and other fishing tackle. Comments are due by September 15. After that date, EPA will decide whether to a) drop the idea, or b) propose a regulation that would ban the use of lead in fishing tackle.

NRA quickly killed the idea that ammunition should be subject to a ban on lead. There will be no change to the rules concerning lead bullets and shot.

Fishermen do not enjoy protection under the Second Amendment, so we are now the sole target of EPA's action. If we do not oppose this idea, EPA will almost certainly issue regulations prohibiting the use of:
- lead sinkers
- lead split shot
- lead jig heads
- any other terminal tackle containing lead

Those of us who pour jigs and other tackle items will be forced to stop. Instead, we will be required to use alternate metals with melting points that are too high for do-it-yourselfers. We will have no choice but to purchase jig heads, shot, and sinkers.

The purpose of this forum and thread is to collect ideas which can be used in a response to EPA. If you want to submit a comment to EPA, that's great. Also, I will put up one or more polls (if necessary to determine members' views.) Based on your posts, I will collect your ideas and draft a comment letter on behalf of the C.c community of fishermen. The group comment letter will be submitted to EPA along with the number of C.c members who agree with the points in the document.

If you want to comment individually, go to Regulations.gov and enter Docket ID# EPA-HQ-OPPT-2010-0681.

[Bob # 1]

Bump

[azslabber]

I think that someone whom knows what they are doing should make up a petition to be passed around.This would be a good starting point as there are a lot of people here to get to sign it and then pass from here to others that we all know.

[Corker]

I think that someone whom knows what they are doing should make up a petition to be passed around.This would be a good starting point as there are a lot of people here to get to sign it and then pass from here to others that we all know.

This special forum is our starting point. Here, we can develop our best points in opposition to a ban. Sometime before 9/15, I will compile the ideas and draft a comment document. Anyone who wants to submit his/her own comment directly to EPA is encouraged to do that. The more comments, the better.

The agencies prefer that we submit our comments online. Paper and signatures are things of the past. Slab or I will submit the document on behalf of the C.c community of fishermen and indicate the number of C.c members registered.

If we disagree on points, I'll create polls that will measure the C.c positions more accurately.

[azslabber]

Well,sounds like you know what you are doing.I will do whatever I possibly can to help on this issue.

[crappiedoc]

First, What's the basis for this petition? They have probably hired some very
intelligent people to promote fear in an ignorant, sheepish society. Get the
facts and fight them on a linear basis or we're doomed. I've posted a little on
lead already on a forum for tackle making. Use a government agency to fight
another one, the ATSDR is a excellent place to start. I'll tell you one thing,
our govn. will change the rules before-hand to hide the truth and substan-
ciate there claims. Start downloading and printing off as much info as you can
THIS IS POLITICAL and there's nothing to stop it. I did a post on KDWP's
fishing reports Reg. 2 over this very thing. The COE and the USGS post water
quality reports and lead is one thing that's checked DOWNLOAD AND PRINT.
I saw this one coming the other day when I saw that mining of lead is about
to become a thing of the past. There's only about a 18yr supply left with the
current trends (HMMM). Since I made my post on a gov. blog, my computer
is being attacked repeatedly, my pirate proof computer isn't going to last
much longer. I am a political prisoner, promise, these people will get real
nasty. I don't know if you've noticed, but the wealthy are figuring ways to
own and control the elements. They use fear against us and they're experts
at it. It's a control thing for these greedy bas$%^&#. Believe me or not, I
don't care, but I'm really dying for my childrens rights. I'm a former Chemical
Engineer that was over-exposed at work and I have seen SATAN. lol I'll help
in any way I can. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, get it and organize

[Corker]

First, What's the basis for this petition?

As far as I can determine, the tree huggers who petitioned EPA to ban jigs and sinkers don't need any basis in fact. It appears that the law allows anyone to do this.

My approach is to treat this as a garden variety rulemaking. Public comments have been requested and it's in my best interest to tell EPA why I don't like this proposal. If there's some sort of conspiracy going on here, that's way above my rank & pay grade.

[crappiedoc]

The petition I read is 100 pages, 5 of these involve fishing, only 1 substan-
ciated claim which was a turtle with lead toxicity. Everything else referred to
lead shot or "bullets" as their main complaint. Their studies seem manipulated
by members of their organizations, which I'll list down below. One of which I
believe is completly fabricated and represents the PETA crowd.(its interesting
reading) Heres the 5 petitioners

Center for Biological Diversity- San Francisco,CA
Jeff Miller [email protected]

American Bird Conservancy- Washington, DC
Michael Fry [email protected]

Assoc. of Avian Veterinarians- Boca Raton, Fl
Adina Rae Freedman [email protected]

Project Gutpile
Anthony Prieto [email protected]

Public Employees for Enviromental Responsibily- Georgetown, CA
Karen Schambach [email protected]

Theres the honchos and their addresses, I'll look up their funding later.

[Corker]

The petition I read is 100 pages, 5 of these involve fishing, only 1 substan-
ciated claim which was a turtle with lead toxicity. Everything else referred to
lead shot or "bullets" as their main complaint.

I'm surprised anyone could find enough to fill one page on fishing--much less 5! I hadn't given this much thought until today, but it's only natural that lead shot would be a much bigger contributor to any lead poisoning. Lead-wise, there's a key difference between shooters and fishermen. Shooters intend to dump lead into the environment whenever they pull the trigger. Each 12 gauge round I fire will place 1 oz. to 1.5 oz. of lead into the environment. That's the equivalent of 8 to 32 jigs. Fishermen don't intend to dispense lead into the environment. Everything we shoot out there has a line attached to it and we try very hard to retrieve the tackle attached to the line.

[crappiedoc]

It's all hypothetical, with a few studies done on fishermans losses while
fishing, there's also reference to tackle manufacturing: how many pounds
were produced last year and they assumed it was to replace items that were
lost while fishing. It's evident they've never seen a fishermans storage areas.
I do believe that they need to be beaten back so hard that they never try
this again. Fisherman truly are conservationists, and they're basis for in-
cluding tackle are unjustified. They even claim lead was the reason Rome
fell, great theatrics, but pure BS. Maybe we should claim private interest
groups led to the fall of the USSR.