LEAD AMMUNITION

Lead Ammunition in Jeopardy in Washington State!

Please Stand-Up and Make Your Voice Heard!

The lead ammunition you use for hunting as well as target and competitive shooting will be banned from purchase, use and ownership in the state of Washington if the state's Department of Ecology has its way. Lead ammunition is a target of a series of recommendations in the "Lead Chemical Action Plan" prepared by the Department of Ecology.

The plan is open for public comment until Monday, October 6. The plan and information about submitting comments are available at: Lead Chemical Action Plan.

Lead shot has been banned in waterfowl hunting. Most recently, California passed a law that prohibits hunters from using lead ammunition in areas within the range of the California condor. A symposium was held in June in Boise, Idaho about the effects of lead ammunition on wildlife and humans. Most of the speakers supported a ban on lead ammunition, regardless of the cost, performance, and availability of substitutes. The Department of Ecology plan is yet another effort to remove lead ammunition nationwide.

Please take the time to submit comments to the Department of Ecology and to Governor Chris Gregoire (D). Let the Governor know that there is no adequate substitute for lead ammunition and that any affects on humans and wildlife do not justify a ban as recommended by her Department of Ecology. Governor Gregoire can be reached by phone at (360) 902-4111, by fax at (360) 753-4110, or click :here to send email. The Governor can also be reached by U.S. Mail at: Governor Chris Gregoire, Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002.

Washington State Has Lead Ammunition in the Crosshairs!

Please Contact the Governor and the Department of Ecology Today!

We have recently sent you alerts about a Draft Lead Chemical Action Plan (CAP) that the state's Department of Ecology has released for public comment. We encourage you to read and comment on this document because it covers lead ammunition.

The Department of Ecology has told those who have sent in comments that, contrary to what NRA says, the CAP does not recommend a ban on lead ammunition. Instead, they say the CAP recommends a voluntary use of non-lead alternatives.

Here is the NRA's view: Page 208 of the CAP states, "Products that do not need lead and directly expose wildlife include wheel weights, small fishing weights, and some ammunition." NRA infers from this that if the CAP suggests some ammunition "does not need lead" then such ammunition should be banned and made from alternative materials. The plan includes a cost analysis of banning lead shot. If a ban is not a consideration then why is the Department of Ecology analyzing the cost of such action? Recommendation 9 on Page 235 of the CAP calls for a phase out of lead shot. "Phase out" sure sounds like "ban" to the NRA.

While it cannot be proven at this time, NRA can just about guarantee that lead ammunition bans are on the minds of many people involved with the CAP project. Given what we are seeing in other states by environmental-leaning government agencies and legislatures, this is not much of a stretch. And with the discussion of green bullets in the CAP, it is doubtful that the next steps will be far behind.

Examples from other states include California, where hunters were asked to voluntarily use non-lead ammunition in areas occupied by the California condor. Within two years, the request was replaced with a legislative ban on hunters' use of lead ammunition. In Arizona, the same request was made of hunters, but as soon as the California ban was signed into law, lead-ban proponents started their attack in Arizona. A symposium was held in Boise, Idaho on lead ammunition in June at which almost all speakers supported a ban on lead ammunition, regardless of cost, performance, or availability of substitutes. NRA believes the CAP is a preliminary step that will lead to the promotion of a legislative or regulatory ban on lead ammunition.

Please take the time to submit comments to the Department of Ecology and to Governor Chris Gregoire (D). Let the Governor know that there is no adequate substitute for lead ammunition and that any affects on humans and wildlife do not justify a ban as recommended by her Department of Ecology. Governor Gregoire can be reached by phone at (360) 902-4111, by fax at (360) 753-4110, or click :here to send email. The Governor can also be reached by U.S. Mail at: Governor Chris Gregoire, Office of the Governor, P.O. Box 40002, Olympia, WA 98504-0002.

BULLETIN FOR OCTOBER

Welcome New Members: Melvin Neil, Logan Neil, Joe Wiley, Brandon Armour, Joseph Pekala, Greg Nicosia, Bill Camarda, Greg Mahugh, Timothy O’Hare, Kenneth Thompson, Matt Thompson, Keith Kadel, James McHugh, Greg Kummer, and Scott Rahan.

RANGE OPERATIONS: Two range operation changes started because of irresponsible member actions.

Board approved prohibiting use of 50 CAL BMG (cartridge/ firearms) on SRC Ranges.

Board approved prohibiting shooting on SRC ranges unless there is a designated Range Safety Officer present.

Indoor and Shotgun Range – no impact. Members helping Chairman (by permission) to open and operate our rangea are Range Safety Officers.

North Range – The Range Saftey Officer opens at the beginning and closes down the range at the end of the day. All shooters must leave at closing.

Access to ranges “after hours” is no longer a member privilege.

Our hours of operation remain 8 am to dusk. The RSO will close the ranges.

Sight-In Days (Since 1959) October 1st to the 11th. Our members volunteer and help make it happen. Bill Barnes is the Chairman and there are signup sheets at the N. Range.

SID is a community service, generates income for the club and we always get new members. The 100 yd range is closed to general shooting during this time - members can sight in at no cost but they must check in first and follow instructions.

Member GUEST privileges is suspended during this time.

LEAD Recovery – UPDATE – Lead recovery from the range started the week of Sep-tember 19th. This is a best management practice (BMP) for our range – and our members. Recycled lead shot will be available for sale to members – just when and how remains TBD.

SHOTGUN- Wednesday shooting ends – Sunday shooting begins. Open Sunday from 10:30 to 3 pm and there is no conflict with monthly Black Powder shooting.

Indoor Range – Season will begin in November. Monday nights is for open shooting and postal practice: Wednesday nights – open shooting, Thursday night – small-bore.

2008 Elections: Nominating Committee Tony Pfeiffer, Paul Sobieski and Larry Bassett. Contact them should you wish to run for a Board position.

Vice President, Executive Officer and Treasurer will be elected. Executive Officer requires replacement; Lowell Petersen is stepping down after 10 years. Jim Groves is willing to step aside should there be someone who wants the Treasurer’s job.

Hunters Education: Last class for the year started 9/15 – 9/20. This class is full, 50+ students. Thanks from the Inland Northwest Wildlife Council for partnering on another great year.

Life Membership: Board presented a Life Membership to Warren Walker for his work in many areas supporting club.

2nd Amendment: If you think people shouldn't keep loaded guns in the house, because the threat of home invasion is so low, do you lock your doors before you go to bed? (Chuck Zigenfuss)

DID YOU KNOW

The annual number of accidental gun deaths among children has declined 89% since 1975. Today, the odds against a child dying in a gun accident are a million to one. Seventy-eight times as many children die in accidents involving or due to motor vehicles, suffocation, drowning, fire, bicycles and falls. (National Center for Health Statistics)
Source : NRA ILA

MEMBER Benefit
Eligible members of the SRC can use the club CMP number and order lots of items, not just ammo. All they have to do is go out to www.odcmp.com and go to the sales tab and use the club number of 68045.