The Sportsmen’s Alliance, together with Safari Club International and National Rifle Association, was granted intervenor status in a lawsuit brought against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to phase out lead ammunition in the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge in West Virginia.
Suit was brought against FWS by anti-hunting organizations for removing Canaan Valley Refuge from a list of refuges where a phase-in of a lead ban had been scheduled in a previous rulemaking by the Service. FWS removed Canaan Valley from the list after the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources opposed including the refuge in the proposal, citing lack of scientific evidence and the expense of nonlead alternatives for hunters.
“This is a great day for the hunting community because we now have a place at the table as this baseless lawsuit moves forward,” said Todd Adkins, vice president of government affairs at the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “We can help show our support for the decision to remove this refuge from the list as we continue to fight for maintaining full access to our public lands for every hunter and angler in America.”
Working in all 50 state legislatures, the Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing, trapping and recreational shooting – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public and youth education, legal defense in state and federal court and research to guide the decision-making process of all involved. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible.
