PA Alert: Game Comm Shoot Ranges Threatened

[James T Thomas]

I was alarmed several months ago when I learned that soil samples had been taken from the local State Game Lands shooting range. I posted that here on THR. Read it, and the pooh -poohing I received at the time.

The implications were an "inside" the government -State Game Commission/ Enviornmentalist closing of the range. And all others.

Coincident with the PA State Police closing of firearms applications here in our state on Labor day, comes the closing of the shooting ranges with the excuse of lead hazard. My brother went to the range and it is indeed closed, with a small sign stating about lead.

It's time to end the term of office of the Governor of PA: Ed Rendell, and to inform your state representatives that this and other activist encouraged changes in our laws will not be tolerated.

 

[jlday70]

This can't be!!!I live in NY and love to go to the PA ranges they are for the most part clean and as long as you follow the rules you can shoot however you want...this will be really disappointing if they get rid of this..

 

[Airman193SOS]

It's not quite as simplistic as you're making it out to be. See here.

"We're voluntarily doing lead remediation on all State Game Land ranges in the state," said Game Commission Southwest Region Director Matt Hough. "Some of the ranges were built in the 1950s and 1960s, and there's a substantial level of lead built up there."

Of the nine ranges, two have been closed permanently. Of the remaining seven, only a Cambria County site remains open.

Metals Treatment Technologies, a Colorado-based company that boasts some 250 shooting-range cleanups in the past 10 years, was hired to do the remediation.

Most of the lead in the bullet-laced backstops is being screened out and recycled. What's left is treated with a process called Ecobond, which makes the remaining lead fragments in the dirt more stable.

While I would be a bit nonplussed about the two ranges that are closed permanently, I don't see anything wrong with this.

It's a damn sight better than the reason they closed the range north of Carlisle for 6 months. It seems that some "sportsmen", to be charitable, blew the stanchions apart holding the backboards with shotguns. They blew them all the way down to the ground. Nothing was left but splinters. We were lucky to get that range back. You're getting back most of them, and in much better condition. For me that wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

[James T Thomas]

knowledge is power

Airman:

Thanks for the reply.

I have been learning some things new concerning this.

It is part of what is called the "Green II" initiative which is fully supported by Gov. Rendell.

Acceptance of it -which is coming to the ballot box here in PA (doesn't the cleaning up and maintenance sound so good? How could any well meaning citizen of PA not vote for the enviornment? ) -would change the funding of the PA Game Commission from the pockets of the hunters and fishermen to the Green Fund, and therefore the politic of the PA Game Comm. along with it!

It's coming. Get with your state Represenative and Senator!
-Unless you see no conflict with the Game Commission receiving it's funding through the "well meaning" inviormental groups.

 

[James T Thomas]

what a revolt'n development

I had hoped the lead "remediation" at the shooting range of State Game land
#302; Wexford was finished so that I could do some target shooting.

"Closed until further notice."

Just how much time does it take to scoop up a few dump trucks of burm earth, haul it away, and replace it with new fill?

This so called remediation has caused the permanent closing of two ranges that we are aware of. So far.

Fellow sportsmen of Pennsylvania. What if we find down the road and after some cool off and forgetfulness time, that these lands have been sought out by Developers you know -usually out of state financiers who are chomping their fingernails to the quick that they are going to loose the cash that makes them elite, and greedy too, and so they get ulcers trying to find land to churn their monies through?
What better source of those lush parcels of state owned lands that our representatives have also been eyeing for years as potential sites to erect towns of taxpayers; real estate taxes, school taxes, property tax and other revenue so that they may raise their own paychecks?
"Midnight Raids" here in Pennsylvania.

 

[Rumble]

Well, that sucks. The Blairsville range (the one that was "permanently decommissioned due to minimal use") was the one near me, which I used frequently, until the day I found out they'd yanked out the shooting benches and shut it down.

Argh.

 

[iwilc2]

i to live in the pgh area and use the wexford range, last i heard it will be down until the end of september, hopefully that is true.

 

[JLStorm]

Just when I thought PA was the light in all the darkness of antigun states that surround it

 

[James T Thomas]

episode III

My brother went to the shooting range yesterday to investigate first hand.

It was closed, and there were no signs of activity or any "work" being done.

Continued next week. ...

 

[iwilc2]

called the state game commision today,they said that most of the shooting ranges will open around Oct. 1, number 203, (wexford) middle to late November.WHY.

 

[alan]

Supposedly, the Fish and Game Commission has contracted for lead removable from it's Zelienople facility, at no charge to the state. Perhaps at other shooting ranges too.

The hired firm gets to keep recovered lead, likely selling same at a good profit. Have you seen quotes on lead lately, $3300/ton I believe. This lead recovery/removal will supposedly be repeated on a yearly basis. Also, the impact areas will be covered with chopped up tires, which make a good bullet stop, so so I've been told.

 

[Bartkowski]

I live about equal distance from claysville and wexford, and since wexford is closed I go to claysville, it is a very small range, only 6 spots, but not many people go there, and it isn't closed for some reason.

 

[James T Thomas]

alternatives

Thanks "Bart;" I'm anxious to get out, so I may see you there sometime.

 

[yesit'sloaded]

Honestly it doesn't sound too bad if they stick with the plan and do it in a timely fashion. Are the ranges open again now?

 

[James T Thomas]

"Yil:"

It is just that I am suspicious of all politicians and the appointed bureaucrats they place in office.
What I have realised in my later years is that:
The "representatives" we have elected to office are not representing
their constituency. At all! They represent their own self interests.
And secondly, the public which could correct this malfeasance is grossly apathetic.

It doesn't sount too bad, IF , alright.

The last time I knew; two weeks ago, the range was still closed.