Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting Ranges
What is the EPA Best Management Practices (BMP) for Lead at Outdoor
Shooting Ranges manual?
The Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor
Shooting Ranges manual provides owners and operators of outdoor
rifle, pistol, trap, skeet and sporting clay ranges with information on
lead management at their ranges. The manual explains how environmental
laws are applicable to lead management and presents a number of successful
best management practices available to the shooting range community. These
practices have been proven to effectively reduce lead contamination. Since
each range is unique in both the type of shooting activity and its environmental
setting, site-specific solutions are not provided in the manual. Rather,
range owners or operators may use the manual to identify and select the
most appropriate best management practices for their range. The manual
does not address range layout or design to meet range safety or competition
requirements. It is also not intended for closing ranges. Range owners/operators
are directed to other comprehensive reference materials available on that
subject from the National Rifle Association of America, National Shooting
Sports Foundation and other shooting associations.
What is a Best Management Practice and How Does It Apply to Shooting
Ranges?
A Best Management Practice,or BMP, is a recommended site management and/or
maintenance activity, usually based on an approach that has been shown
to work effectively for the purpose intended. A best management practice
is based on use of readily available equipment and/or technology.
For example, best management practices for outdoor shooting ranges are practices that range owners/operators can use to minimize the impact of lead on the environment. Lead at outdoor shooting ranges may pose, in certain situations, a threat to the environment if best management practices, including reclamation and recycling, are not implemented in a timely manner.
Benefits of Best Management Practice Implementation
Implementation of best management practices will allow the range to minimize
contamination of the range and potential impacts to human health and the
environment, reduce liability with regard to potential agency or citizen
lawsuits, benefit economically from the recycling of lead, and enhance
its role as a good member of the community and steward of the environment.
For information on this page, contact: petrucelli.steven@epa.gov