Comment from The Trumpeter Swan Society

The Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) submits the attached comment letter in response to the proposed rule "National Wildlife Refuge System 2026-2027 Station-Specific Hunting and Sport Fishing Regulations" (91 FR 31580, May 27, 2026). TTSS is a nonprofit scientific organization dedicated to the conservation and restoration of wild trumpeter swans. TTSS is not opposed to expanding hunting and fishing opportunities on National Wildlife Refuges. Our comments focus specifically on lead exposure risks to trumpeter and tundra swans created by this rulemaking, including the rescission of finalized lead-free requirements at ten National Wildlife Refuges and the opening or expansion of hunting and fishing at stations within confirmed swan range without equivalent protections. Please see the attached letter for our full comments, findings, and recommendations. Attachment A, also included, provides a range map showing current trumpeter swan distribution relative to the affected refuges. TTSS is available to provide additional technical information regarding the lead poisoning research and swan health issues discussed in these comments.