Need Your Comments on Lead Transition

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is collecting a second round of comments on their plan to transition away from lead ammunition for all hunting and lead tackle for fishing starting September 1, 2026. Over the next three years, the Refuge staff will provide outreach and educational opportunities for hunters/anglers to learn about lead impacts and available alternatives.

Please submit your comments supporting this plan. Transitioning away from lead will minimize the inadvertent exposure and lead poisoning of bald and golden eagles, as well as other scavenging species. This would be especially good news for our large eagle population at Blackwater NWR. If you support this move to non-lead ammunition and fishing tackle, please visit the Blackwater NWR website to see how you can email your comments by August 22. If you submitted comments in August 2022, please submit them again this year. Thanks for your support of our wildlife.

Photo: nest of eaglets at Blackwater NWR, MD