FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW JERSEY OUTDOOR ALLIANCE URGES LEGISLATORS
TO REJECT LEAD AMMUNITION MANDATE
Conservation Policy Should Be Based on Demonstrated Need,
Sound Science, and Wildlife Management Expertise
Howell- NJ The New Jersey Outdoor Alliance (NJOA) is urging lawmakers to reject Assembly Bill 5021 and Senate Bill 4225, legislation that would prohibit the use of traditional lead ammunition for ALL hunting in New Jersey.
NJOA supports science-based conservation and responsible wildlife management. However, before imposing a statewide ammunition mandate, legislators should identify the documented conservation problem this legislation is intended to solve and explain why existing voluntary efforts are insufficient.
Neither the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) nor the New Jersey Fish and Game Council has identified a population-level wildlife conservation crisis attributable to lead ammunition that would warrant such a mandate.
In 2025, NJDEP joined the North American Lead-Free Partnership, a cooperative effort focused on hunter education, best management practices, and voluntary adoption of non-lead alternatives where appropriate. Earlier this year, the Fish and Game Council declined to impose regulatory restrictions on lead ammunition, citing concerns regarding stakeholder engagement, implementation challenges, market readiness, and ongoing voluntary conservation efforts.
“If New Jersey’s wildlife professionals are already addressing this issue through voluntary measures, what evidence demonstrates that a statewide legislative ban is necessary?” Anthony P. Mauro
Sr, co-founder of NJOA and Board of Director, asked.
NJOA is concerned that A5021 and S4225 could result in:
- Increased ammunition costs for hunters.
- Reduced ammunition availability and consumer choice.
- Reduced hunting participation.
- Reduced conservation funding generated through hunting licenses and federal Pittman-Robertson excise taxes.
- Additional significant challenges for effective deer population management.
NJOA also believes the public deserves to understand the broader context surrounding this legislation. The primary advocates for this proposal are animal-rights organizations that have long opposed hunting, trapping, and other forms of active wildlife management. Their support for this legislation should be considered in the context of those long-standing policy objectives.
Wildlife policy should be guided by documented conservation needs, measurable outcomes, and the expertise of wildlife professionals—not ideology. The question before lawmakers is not whether concerns have been raised. The question is whether a demonstrated conservation need exists in New Jersey that justifies a statewide mandate and its associated consequences. NJOA respectfully urges legislators to reject A5021 and S4225 and continue supporting practical, science-based conservation policies that protect wildlife while preserving New Jersey’s successful conservation partnership among hunters, anglers, conservationists, wildlife professionals, and the public.
About the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance
The New Jersey Outdoor Alliance is a statewide coalition dedicated to promoting conservation, stewardship, responsible wildlife management, public access, and the preservation of New Jersey’s outdoor heritage through science-based conservation solutions.