No More US Coast Gd Live Fire on Great Lakes

[The Bread Guy]

Well, them that don't like bang-bang on the Great Lakes won....

COAST GUARD WITHDRAWS GREAT LAKES LIVE-FIRE PROPOSAL
US Coast Guard news release, 18 Dec 06
Coast Guard Statement

CLEVELAND - The U.S. Coast Guard announced today its decision to withdraw the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish 34 safety zones for live-fire training on the Great Lakes.  The decision follows internal review, meetings with many community leaders, as well as nine public meetings, and numerous comments from the public and their elected representatives.

"The Coast Guard appreciates the thoughtful comments we received and we will work with the public to ensure the Coast Guard can meet any threat to public safety or security.  We are committed to addressing the concerns that training be safe, preserve the diverse uses of the Lakes, and protect the environment," said Rear Adm. John E. Crowley, Jr., commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District.

"As a native son of the region I take the Coast Guard's role as guardians of the Great Lakes very seriously.  The Great Lakes are one of the nation's most precious resources.  The current NPRM is unsatisfactory and I will take the time to get this right.  We will not conduct live-fire training on the Great Lakes to satisfy non-emergency training requirements unless we publish a rule, and I intend to reconsider the number, frequency of use, and location of water training areas as well as other concerns raised by the public.  I am also committed to pursuing environmentally-friendly alternatives to the lead ammunition we currently use."  ....


Coast Guard withdraws calls off live fire training plan on Great Lakes
Euan Kerr, Minnesota Public Radio, 18 Dec 06
Article Link

Washington D.C. — The U.S. Coast Guard has indefinitely suspended all live fire exercises on the Great Lakes, which would have periodically closed 2,500 square miles of the lakes for live machine-gun firing exercises.

The announcement came Monday following a conference call between U.S. Reps. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota and David Obey of Wisconsin, and Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen.

Allen said the exercises would be suspended indefinitely, and the proposal for a permanent training program would be withdrawn.

Allen said he was dissatisfied with the process the Coast Guard used before beginning the exercises, which began before he became head of the Coast Guard.

The live fire drew criticism from communities around the Great Lakes and especially from Canada. Critics wondered if the live-fire training on the lakes was worth the potential risks to the environment, because the ammunition used by the Coast Guard contains lead.

Coast Guard officials had stressed in hearings around the Great Lakes in recent months that live fire practice was an essential part of weapons training. They also noted they have safely conducted live-fire tests in the nation's coastal waters for years.

 

[ArmyRick]

That should make the damn hippies happy  :

 

[Adrian_888]

I don't see why they couldn't just fire blanks.  ???

 

[midget-boyd91]

That should make the damn hippies happy  :

Do you really believe that?? I dont think that the hippies are going to be happy until the military is gone completely. And all the guns are destroyed.
 They don't seem to realize that the USCG needs to train in order to guard the coast. And that the great lakes are virtually the only place in that area to train live fire onboard a ship with conditions of a rocking boat.

I don't see why they couldn't just fire blanks.  ???

How are they going to hit a target with blanks? If all training needed was done with blanks.... well yeah. Think about it.

 

[Mr. Proulx]

I dont know how much pollution bullets cause. But i think they would fall to the bottom of things the Great Lakes need to worry about.

 

[CBH99]

True, bullets are probably the least environmentally concerning issue in regards to the Great Lakes - tons upon tons of pollution and garbage end up in the Great Lakes each year.  But, do we really want to compound the problem with possible lead poisoning of the water?  (Remember, as filthy as that water can get - its still a source of drinking water for millions of people).

Is it not possible for the USCG to become proficient with their weapons without firing all those rounds at targets in the Great Lakes.  I know live-fire training is essential to gaining and maintaining competence - but does anybody have any other ideas, as to how they could accomplish that goal without adding to the pollution problems in the Great Lakes?

 

[Fishbone Jones]

But, do we really want to compound the problem with possible lead poisoning of the water?  (Remember, as filthy as that water can get - its still a source of drinking water for millions of people).

Hmmm, lead shot, fishing weights, jig heads, net weights, downriggers weights. Yup, no lead there is there?