One of the biggest lessons I have learned while serving in the Legislature is that when an issue seems completely straightforward at first, it is almost always more complicated. The latest example of this occurred this week in one of the two policy committees I serve on, the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, where we debated a bill that would have banned lead ammunition in Maine.

At first glance, it seems pretty simple. If passed, anyone caught hunting with ammunition that contained lead would be given a warning for the first offense, and then fined for every subsequent occurrence. Most people are well aware of the dangerous effects of lead on the environment. Lead paint is harmful to children and adults, workers exposed to industrial lead used in manufacturing suffer a number of conditions, and in recent years, we learned of the ill effects of lead found in municipal water pipes.

In Maine, the most visible result of lead ammunition is found in bald eagles, according to wildlife rehabilitators at Avian Haven. Eagles are scavengers who feast on the gut piles from big game, game birds and rodents killed by hunters. Lead tends to fragment. Specifically, lead ammunition leaves behind tiny lead fragments that are eventually absorbed by the eagle, leading to high lead blood levels that affect the bird’s heart, lungs, eyes and nervous system.

Lead, of course, can also be ingested by humans eating the meat that came from animals killed with lead ammunition.

The evidence is clear about the hazards, but the solutions are not so straightforward. Good policy relies not just on the law but also on education and buy-in from the public. In the case of lead ammo, many hunters and hunting organizations, in line with Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW), support solutions to lead that are effective, affordable and available.

While copper is effective and does not fragment the way that lead does, at the moment it is neither widely available nor as affordable as lead, although prices are declining. This, of course, could change once hunters start demanding it. In some cases, there will also need to be some retooling of the weapons that use bullets. There’s also a strong case to be made for an educational and public outreach program on the risks of lead and the value of alternatives. MDIFW’s website carries information on hunting with non-lead.

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At the public hearing on this bill, people and organizations spoke passionately in favor and in opposition, but I was struck most by those who labeled themselves “neither for nor against” the bill. This is often where the complexity is found.

Avian Haven, Maine Audubon and wildlife veterinarians, for example, provided ample evidence of the hazards of lead and yet recognized the need for more outreach and voluntary shifting to non-lead ammunition rather than a heavy-handed, top-down solution. Maine Audubon also encourages retailers to be part of the solution.

Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Maine Professional Guides Association and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, representing a range of hunters, have signed on as supporters of the North American Non-Lead Partnership.

While change can be difficult in any sport, the writing is on the wall, and is informed by a solid body of evidence. Few disagree with the goal but most recognize that the ways of reaching that goal are multiple and cumulative. While the committee voted against this bill, we had a serious discussion about the need to encourage MDIFW’s educational efforts, continue conversations with all of the stakeholders and support the work of wildlife rehabilitation centers like Avian Haven.

Getting the lead out of our environment helps all of us. Advocacy groups serve an important purpose in our lives. It’s where we put our passions. In the Legislature, we work hard to achieve worthy policy goals, albeit in different ways. What I have learned from my time in the Legislature is that the discussion, debate and input from citizens and organizations around the state reveals the complexity behind what looks like simple issues. It’s a valuable lesson for me. We will get there. It’s only a matter of time.

Allison Hepler represents Arrowsic, Dresden, Georgetown, Phippsburg, Woolwich and part of Richmond in the Maine Legislature, and serves on the Woolwich Selectboard.

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