EPA Considers Banning Lead Bullets

According to the Weekly Standard, Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to make a change to existing rules before the November 2 elections.  What is she up to?  Well, she is considering banning lead bullets and shot as well as lead sinkers that are used for fishing.  Several environmental groups [including Center for Biological Diversity (CBD)] are petitioning the EPA to rate these above products under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

EPA is currently barred by statute from controlling ammunition, CBD is trying to have these banned further up the marketing line.  Non-lead alternatives are available but they are much more expensive.  This ban would force sportsmen and hunters to buy the non-lead ammunition that has been twice the cost of regular ammunition.

I then found this link that I thought was most pertinent to this discussion from the National Rifle Association Institute of  Legislative Action (NRA-ILA).  It seems that the EPA has denied a petition by the CBD and the other groups trying to ban the use of lead bullets.   There still is an open comment period until September 15 however to the EPA on the other part of the petition regarding the lead sinkers.