Will Governor Schwarzenegger Stand Up to Gun Lobby and Government Bureaucrats to Sign Bill to Ban Lead Bullets?
By: Dr. Michael Fry, Director of Conservation Advocacy, American Bird Conservancy
Published: Sep 19, 2007 at 08:33
The California Senate and Assembly recently passed a historic protection measure for endangered California condors, Assembly Bill 821 (Nava, D-Santa Barbara), the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act, requiring non-lead ammunition for big-game hunting in condor habitat. The legislation will require hunters to use non-lead ammunition for hunting big game and coyotes within the California condor range in central and southern California, beginning July 1, 2008. The Condor Preservation Act will significantly reduce lead poisoning of condors in California and is an important first step in getting lead out of the food chain.
The bill is now before the Governor, who has until Oct. 14 to sign or veto it. The California Department of Fish and Game sent a letter opposing the bill, claiming it will undermine the authority of the Fish and Game Commission.
"We urge Governor Schwarzenegger to ignore the special interests, ignore the bureaucratic turf wars, and do what's right for the California Condor by signing this bill into law," said Dr. Michael Fry, American Bird Conservancy.
The Commissions letter did promise action on the proposed lead ammunition ban this fall, and now the Commission is facing extreme political pressure from allies of the National Rifle Association (NRA) not to enact a ban. On September 10, a group of 34 Republican Legislators requested that Commissioner Judd Hanna be removed from the Commission so that he would not vote on a lead bullet regulation scheduled for the next Commission meeting. Hanna's transgression was doing his homework on the lead ammunition issue (see attached letter). Hanna, a hunter, veteran of the Viet Nam war and Republican, submitted his resignation Sept. 13 after being asked to so by Schwarzenegger's Resources Secretary Mike Chrisman. In a telephone interview with the Sacramento Bee Hanna said, "It's not about me, it's about the condor and it's about the NRA hijacking the system."
It appears the authority of the Commission has already been undermined by political and lobbying interference in a successful effort to remove any commissioner in favor of non toxic ammunition. The Condor Preservation Act does not ban hunting, but only requires the use of lead-free ammunition in the range of California Condors. Non-toxic bullets are currently manufactured by two major companies, and are available for most popular hunting rifles.
The San Jose Mercury News reports that other Commissioners are angered by the interference. Chairman of the Commission Richard Rogers said Hanna did nothing wrong and that the Commission would vote on the issue Nov. 1. "�the scientific evidence is overwhelming that lead from bullets is a major component � if not the major component � of the lead in condors," said Rogers. "That's a fact. It's not something to debate."
"It is very important for the Governor to sign this bill now because of the political pressure exerted on the commission and its likely inability to act in November." said Dr. Fry. "It appears any commissioner who looks at the scientific evidence may lose their job."
