On his first day as the new Interior secretary, Ryan Zinke reached out to hunters, target shooters and anglers by removing the last minute Obama ban on lead used to make traditional bullets and fishing weights.
“Outdoor recreation is about both our heritage and our economy. Between hunting, fishing, motorized recreation, camping and more, the industry generates thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity,” said Zinke in a statement Thursday.
He also opened the door to outdoors enthusiasts to help form policy on public lands.
“Over the past eight years however, hunting, and recreation enthusiasts have seen trails closed and dramatic decreases in access to public lands across the board. It worries me to think about hunting and fishing becoming activities for the landowning elite. This package of secretarial orders will expand access for outdoor enthusiasts and also make sure the community’s voice is heard,” he added.
The Obama administration put a ban on lead on federal land, citing led risk to birds, animals and humans. Outdoor groups sought more study.
In his order, that’s exactly what Zinke called for. The signing ceremony was attended by several influential in the outdoors sports world, including Chris W. Cox, the head of the National Rifle Association’s legislative arm.
Criticism came fast.
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, said, “The revoked order would have stopped the needless, incidental poisoning of wild animals by toxic lead ammunition and fishing tackle on more than 150 million acres managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The order, grounded on hundreds of peer-reviewed studies, had the potential to be one of the most effective policy decisions to protect wildlife, building on the wildly successful 1991 federal requirement for the use of non-toxic shot for the hunting of waterfowl nationwide.”
The praise from those who use cheaper lead bullets, for example, was strong.
Montana Sen. Steve Daines mocked the Obama order and welcomed Zinke’s move. ”
“I’m pretty certain the bureaucrat that put this regulation in place has never hunted elk in Montana,” he said. “Secretary Zinke is off to a strong start protecting Montana’s and our country’s hunting and fishing heritage.” He had urged the action in a letter to Zinke Wednesday.
“Secretary Zinke’s rapid response to the previous administration’s parting shot on hunters, target shooters and anglers demonstrates the true friend and common sense solutions we can expect from the Department of the Interior,” said Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, which represents manufacturers.
“The timing of the traditional ammunition ban on federal lands tells you everything you need to know about the decision. Likewise, the decisive action by Secretary Zinke tells you what you need to know and what we can expect from an Interior Secretary who himself is a hunter, angler and outdoor sportsman,” he added.
Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, said, “The Obama administration failed to consult with state fish and wildlife agencies or national angling and hunting organizations in issuing this order. This was not a decision based on sound scientific evidence — it was a last second attack on traditional ammunition and our hunting heritage.”
He added, “The fact is that traditional ammunition does not pose a significant population-level risk for wildlife. On behalf of the five million members of the NRA and tens of millions of American sportsmen, we thank Secretary Zinke for eliminating this arbitrary attack on our hunting heritage.”
Zinke also showed is support for outdoors enthusiasts by reestablishing former President George W. Bush’s Wildlife and Hunting Heritage Conservation Council which gave sportsmen and women a role in outdoors policies.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
