Legislation seeks to protect California’s land, water and wildlife from toxic lead contamination

Tomorrow, the Assembly Appropriations Committee will discuss new legislation that seeks to protect both people and birds from the dangers of lead in the environment.  Assembly member Jimmy Gomez sits on that committee and the Audubon Center at Debs Park urges you to contact him to help get this important measure passed.

Toxic lead ammunition poisons endangered California Condors and other wildlife that eat spent lead ammunition when they come upon carcasses or “gut piles” left behind by hunters in the field. Mourning Doves also consume lead shot that they find on the ground. Predatory birds, including our nation’s symbol – the Bald Eagle – ingest lead when they eat prey species that have been poisoned.

“Lead in the environment threatens to undermine the significant investment we’ve made bringing the California Condor back from the brink of extinction,” said Dan Taylor, Audubon’s director of public policy. “The time has long passed for California to take this simple step to protect all of our wildlife species.”

Extensive research has demonstrated conclusively that lead from ammunition poses a threat to humans as well. The Centers for Disease Control has reported that people who ate meat from animals hunted with lead ammunition had higher levels of lead in their blood. Lead is a potent neurotoxin – and not safe for humans at any level of exposure.

“The more we learn about lead ammunition, the more we come to realize that it is just as much a public health issue as a wildlife conservation issue,” said pediatrician Dr. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, Assembly Health Committee Chair and principal co-author of the bill. "Given the known damage lead exposure has on the brain, no one should risk feeding it to their families.”

Please contact Assembly member Jimmy Gomez today to let him know you support AB 711.