Condors might benefit from possible lead ban

The California Senate recently passed legislation that would ban lead ammunition, which poisons endangered California Condors. The paperwork needs Gov. Schwarzenegger's signature before becoming law.

A.B. 821, the Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act, requires hunters to use nonlead ammunition for hunting deer, wild pig and other game. That would prevent condors from ingesting lead ammunition while scavenging the carcasses. The bill also creates a program to provide coupons to hunters for reducing or covering the cost of nonlead bullets.

Here's the amended bill. It requires that the California Fish and Game Commission amend the Fish and Game Code by July 1, 2008.

A.B. 821 -- albeit known as "Methods Authorized For Taking Big Game And Methods of Take For Nongame Birds And Nongame Mammals" -- appeared on the agenda for the commission's Aug. 27 meeting, but the meeting's summary doesn't appear on the website. After reading the bill, share your thoughts with the commission.