Obama White House Ban On Lead Ammunition Has Been Trashed

Matt Vespa | March 05, 2017 12:00 PM

After President Donald J. Trump’s upset win over Hillary Clinton, the Obama White House went on what could be arguable called a F-you tour. Former President Obama released more Gitmo detainees, banned offshore drilling, ended the Cuban wet foot, dry foot and Cuban Medical Professional Parole Programs (screwing over Cuban refugees), and designated almost 2 million acres national monuments that will prevent further natural gas and oil exploration.

In what many called a petty swipe at hunters and rural Americans, the 44^th president also banned lead ammunition on federal lands. With Ryan Zinke confirmed as out new interior secretary, he immediately repealed the ban this week (via The Hill):

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke signed an order Thursday overturning a ban on using lead ammunition on wildlife refuges.
Zinke signed the order on his first day in office, overturning a policy implemented by former Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dan Ashe on Jan. 19, the Obama administration’s last full day in office.

Ashe’s policy banned the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on all FWS wildlife refuges that allow hunting or fishing, as well as in all other hunting or fishing regulated by the agency elsewhere.

It was meant to help prevent plants and animals from being poisoned by lead left on the ground or in the water.

“After reviewing the order and the process by which it was promulgated, I have determined that the order is not mandated by any existing statutory or regulatory requirement and was issued without significant communication, consultation or coordination with affected stakeholders,” Zinke wrote in his order.

Zinke also signed an order Thursday asking agencies within his purview to find ways to increase access to outdoor recreation on the lands they oversee.