Forum Communications' John Myers looks at bills heard in the Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division last Thursday in Lead fishing tackle, ammunition bills gaining traction in Minnesota Legislature:
Lawmakers at the Capitol in St. Paul have introduced multiple bills this session to get the lead out of Minnesota fishing tackle and hunting ammunition, either by law — banning the stuff altogether — or by using more gentle persuasion.
One bill, SF 3892/HF 3825, would ban the use, manufacture and sale of all lead sinkers and jigs smaller than one ounce in an effort to keep the toxic tackle away from loons and other waterfowl.
Another bill, HF3342, would ban the use of lead shot while hunting all small game on state-managed wildlife areas in farmland areas.
Other bills in the House and Senate would require participants in official state-sponsored hunting events, like the governor’s deer hunting opener and governor's pheasant opener, to use non-toxic ammunition. A House bill, HF 2946, would give the University of Minnesota Raptor Center $133,000 in state funds to hold hunter workshops to promote non-toxic alternatives to lead bullets.
And two bills would spend state money to encourage hunters and anglers to voluntarily get the lead out: HF 3220 would pay for a free tackle exchange in which residents could turn in their lead fishing tackle for non-toxic alternatives like tin or tungsten. And HF 3063 would offer all new recipients of state firearms safety certificates a voucher for a free box of non-toxic ammunition, such as copper bullets for deer hunting or steel shot shotgun shells for small game and upland birds.
“The data shows that once people are exposed to non-toxic ammunition, once they use it and are comfortable with it, they are far more likely to keep using it,’’ said Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn, DFL-Roseville.
Becker-Finn, an avid outdoorsperson, is the chief author of the bills offering a carrot, rather than a stick, for hunters and anglers to switch.
“For some reason whenever some people see lead in legislation they think we’re typing to end hunting or end fishing. And some people, especially people who hunt and fish, just don't like being told what to do,’’ Becker-Finn said.
So Becker-Finn is hoping to nudge people toward using nontoxic alternatives, rather than forcing them, by giving away samples of tackle.
“Part of the problem is that the alternatives, while they exist, aren't always on store shelves. We need to make them more available,’’ she said, adding that she senses more state residents are ready for the change.
Both of her bills were heard Thursday, March 5, in the Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee without opposition, and the hearing included a visit from a bald eagle survivor of lead poisoning. The bills will be attached to a larger spending bill later in the session and given dollar amounts.
. . .Meanwhile Rep. Peter Fischer, DFL-Maplewood, is chief author of the House bill to ban the use, sale and manufacture of small lead fishing tackle. Fischer said he was approached by a group of Girl Scouts last year who made lead tackle and loon deaths a project. Fischer agreed to take up their cause at the Capitol. Fischer noted that the high-profile lead poisoning of groundwater and employees at the Water Gremlin plant in the Twin Cities, a major fishing tackle and battery manufacturer, raised awareness of the lead issue. In October, two state agencies ordered the shutdown of White Bear Township-based Water Gremlin after the children of employees were found to have dangerous levels of lead in their blood.
Read the rest of the article at the Perham Focus. Listen to audio from Thursday's hearing here.
Some representative tweets:
Today in #mnleg Enviro Finance (12:45 SOB rm 5) we will have a bald eagle “testifying” in support of bills to prevent lead poisoning in birds! 🦅 @PattyAcomb HF 2946 and my HF 3063 @NatlEagleCenter @theraptorcenter pic.twitter.com/Tz4n8qyXRo
— Jamie Becker-Finn (@jbeckerfinn) March 5, 2020
Maxime was fortunate to survive lead poisoning caused by humans. We can help prevent killing our eagles, loons, & other wildlife by switching to non-lead tackle & ammo. Paying a few dollars more prevents paying a few thousand dollars treating just 1 animal. #GetTheLeadOut #MNLeg pic.twitter.com/aTCFyvBbe2
— Duck, Duck, Gray Duck! (@WaterfowlDoxies) March 5, 2020
Since there's no video, we'll share some of the documents from the hearing.
Hunters Choice Hand Out uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
Here's the Raptor Center's slide presentation:
Hunter's Choice uploaded by Sally Jo Sorensen on Scribd
Photo: Max the Eagle in the committee room. Photo by Jamie Becker-Finn via Twitter.
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