HARRY HUGHES, Governor

2167

WHEREAS, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has
identified Dorchester County as a lead shot problem area for
endangered bald eagles; and

WHEREAS, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service under
the provisions of the Stevens Amendment to the Interior
Appropriations Bill, P.L. 98-473, Section 305, is prohibited from
invoking a ban on the use of lead shot ammunition without first
receiving a request for such a ban from a state; and

WHEREAS, The United States Fish and Wildlife Service,
through the announcement in the Federal Register of January 6,
1986, has indicated that there will be no opening of the
waterfowl hunting season in Dorchester County in 1986-1987 unless
the State of Maryland approves the prohibition against the use of
lead shot; and

WHEREAS, Section 10-604(e) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
prohibits the State of Maryland from conveying to the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service the aforesaid approval; and

WHEREAS, Severe economic hardship would result in Dorchester
County if the 1986-1987 waterfowl hunting season were not to
open; and

WHEREAS, The use of lead shot ammunition poses a potential
threat to birds of prey and various parts of the State of
Maryland; and

WHEREAS, It is the policy of the General Assembly that any
legislation or ban on the use of lead shot ammunition should be
based on a determination of the necessity to protect the State's
wildfowl population from contamination resulting from the use of
said shot; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

10-604.

[(e) Any law to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the
Secretary of Natural Resources nor any other official of the
Department of Natural Resources may promulgate any rule or
regulation banning or limiting the use or possession of lead shot
ammunition while hunting wild waterfowl. Any rule or regulation
which bans or limits the use or possession of lead shot
ammunition while hunting wild waterfowl is declared null, void,
and of no effect. Neither the State nor any agency or department
may request that the federal government enforce any federal rule
or regulation regarding a ban or limit on the use or possession
of lead shot ammunition, EXCEPT FOR NONTOXIC SHOT ZONES AS