Senator John McCain Press Release:

STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN ON THE ENDANGERED CONDOR

August 13, 2013

Washington, D.C. ­– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement on his meeting last Friday, August 9^th, at Grand Canyon National Park regarding the endangered condor:

“The meeting last week brought together a variety of decision-makers involved with protecting the endangered California condor. At the meeting, there was broad recognition that the reintroduction and recovery program can never achieve its goals when about 50 percent of condor deaths are caused by lead poisoning. At the same time, there was a firm realization that hunters can and do have the greatest positive influence on the condor when they are armed with information about the need to reduce lead exposure in wildlife.

“Our meeting was attended by state and federal wildlife experts, hunting groups, conservation organizations and federal agencies, and I am particularly grateful that ATF Deputy Director Thomas Brandon participated. I am confident he will convey to Washington that our hunters need an adequate and affordable supply of non-lead ammunition for rifles.

“I want to be clear that I do not support the effort to ban lead ammunition being considered in California. It is unfair to the sporting community that has a vested interest in enjoying healthy game populations. It is also unclear that there would be demonstrable benefit to the condor.

“The voluntary incentives used in Arizona and Utah to promote the use of non-lead ammunition should serve as a model and be enhanced to reach a broader area. I intend to ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to do more to acknowledge and support this approach. I also believe there’s a role for ammunition manufacturers and distributors to raise awareness about the benefits of non-lead products to the condor.

“I urge all hunters to use non-lead ammunition when in condor range in northern Arizona to ensure we have a stable condor population for the enjoyment of future generations.”

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