Stop Lead Poisoning of Wildlife on Public Lands

Every year, an estimated 10 to 20 million animals—including bald eagles, California condors, and other scavenging birds—suffer slow, agonizing deaths from lead poisoning. The cause? Spent lead ammunition left behind by hunters on public lands.

Lead ammunition fragments into tiny, toxic particles that contaminate the environment and are easily ingested by wildlife feeding on gut piles or carcasses. Just one lead fragment is enough to poison a bald eagle. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, lead toxicity has been documented in over 130 species, and studies show nearly half of all bald eagles tested had harmful levels of lead in their systems.

Despite the science, the current FY26 Interior Appropriations Bill includes harmful language that blocks federal agencies from regulating lead ammunition on National Wildlife Refuges—places specifically set aside to protect wildlife. This makes it even more urgent that Congress take action to reverse this dangerous trend.

To counter this threat, Congress  should re-introduce and quickly pass the Lead Endangers Animals Daily (LEAD) Act, introduced by Senator Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Ted Lieu in previous sessions, which would phase out toxic lead ammunition on all federal lands and waters. This legislation offers a common-sense path forward that protects both wildlife and hunters by encouraging the transition to affordable, non-toxic alternatives.

Congress must also reject any riders or amendments that prevent agencies like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from limiting lead use where it’s clearly harming wildlife.

National Wildlife Refuges and other public lands should be safe havens—not death traps—for the species they were created to protect. It’s time to get the lead out.

Please sign the petition to demand Congress reject any attempts to prevent the USFWS from restricting lead ammo on National Wildlife Refuges and instead pass the LEAD Act or similar legislation to protect bald eagles and other wildlife.
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Sources

https://eagles.org/lead-toxicity-in-bald-eagles/

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/get_the_lead_out/pdfs/Scientists_Heatlh_Impacts_letter_3-13.pdf

https://www.duckworth.senate.gov/news/press-releases/duckworth-reintroduces-bill-to-protect-wildlife-and-water-sources-from-toxic-lead-poisoning

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/committee-approves-fy26-interior-and-environment-appropriations-act

https://cwhl.vet.cornell.edu/disease/lead-toxicosis