VermontBass.com

 

For Immediate Release  

 

MONTPELIER---After three weeks of negotiations with the Vermont Attorney General's Office and deliberations by the House General, Housing & Military Affairs Committee, the Vermont Traditions Coalition (VTC) has won an exemption from lead ban legislation for shooting sports and hunting related activities.

 

     The House committee has been considering House Bill 352 proposed by the Attorney General's Office to eliminate lead components in pre-1978 housing.  However, the language of the bill posed potential threats for use of lead ammunition, shooting ranges, home based ammunition re-loaders, and lead deposits in game taken by hunters.

 

     The Vermont Traditions Coalition is a coalition of sporting, farm, maple syrup, forest product, county and local snowmobile clubs, outdoor guide, and lake association interests dedicated to preserving the Vermont's traditional rural land use heritage.

 

      VTC's Steve McLeod and Frank Stanley negotiated the exemption after meetings with the Attorney General's office and testimony McLeod provided to the House General, Housing & Military Affairs Committee on several occasions. 

 

      The exemption reads:  "Nothing in this act shall be construed to regulate firearms, ammunition, shooting ranges or circumstances resulting from shooting, handling, storing, or reloading ammunition."

 

      The Hunter, Angler, Trapper Association (HAT) also testified in favor of an exemption.

 

       Approximately 200 sportsmen jammed the House of Representatives Chamber Tuesday night to testify on the legislation.  Attendees included representatives of the Vermont Traditions Coalition, HAT, the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs and numerous local shooting and hunting clubs from throughout Vermont.

 

       A large number of the witnesses wanted the legislation scrapped altogether. The exemption means that, if this legislation passes, the legislation will be targeted at housing, not sportsmen.

 

       Senate Bill 152 is awaiting action in that body.  This bill bans use of many consumer products containing lead, and the reach of the bill also is a major concern for sportsmen.  The Vermont Traditions Coalition and other sporting groups will be following this bill.

 

 For more information contact: Steve McLeod at 434-3346/ 324-0016, Sbmcvt@aol.com or Frank Stanley at frankjstanley@wildblue.net  or 238-0364.