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Gun Club in Pennellville, NY Agrees...No More Lead Shot for Now

Release Date: 9/9/2005
Contact Information:

FOR RELEASE: Friday, September 9, 2005

(#05102) NEW YORK -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Central New York Rod and Gun Club in Pennellville, New York have signed an agreement that will prevent more lead from being introduced into wetlands near the facility. The agreement, in the form of an Administrative Order of Consent, will not be finalized until the public has an opportunity to review and comment on it.

Under the agreement, the club will no longer allow members to discharge lead shot into water or wetlands. It also requires the club to comply with New York State water discharge permit requirements if it adopts an alternative involving the practice of using non-lead shot at the range. Finally, the club has the option to relocate the shooting range to a new area that will facilitate the future management and recovery of lead
ammunition.

"This agreement is in large part the result of an extensive effort by EPA and shooting sport leaders to educate owners and operators of outdoor shooting ranges on how to safely manage lead shot and bullets," EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg said.

A public meeting with EPA representatives on the proposed agreement will be held at the club in Pennellville on September 14 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.. EPA will accept public comments on the proposed agreement until September 20, 2005.

EPA intends to enter into similar agreements with other outdoor shooting ranges in the future. Outdoor shooting ranges are encouraged to follow the guidelines in EPA's "Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting Ranges" manual. This publication is available, free of charge, at the EPA Web site www.epa.gov/region2/waste/leadshot or by contacting the EPA Region 2 office at (212) 637-4145.

Written comments on the proposed Administrative Order on Consent, which would be issued under the 'potential imminent and substantial endangerment' provision (Section 7003) of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, must be mailed to EPA, postmarked on or before September 20, 2005, at the following address:

USEPA, Region 2
Edward J. Guster III
290 Broadway, 22nd Floor
DECA-RCB
New York, N.Y. 10007