• Site Exposure Assessments

• Treatability Studies and Pilot Tests

• Remedial Design

• Construction Oversite

Dvirka and Bartilucci Consulting Engineers can assist municipal governments, as well as the private sector, as they explore options available to improve the overall management of outdoor rifle, pistol and shotgun ranges. Our firm has over 25 years of experience in conducting hazardous waste site investigations, phase 1 and 2 environmental site assessments, exposure assessments, treatability studies, feasibility studies and remedial design assignments. Building on that extensive experience, our team of experts bring that knowledge to bear in addressing the potential liability and environmental issues associated with managing active and inactive firing ranges.

While firing ranges are often considered somewhat of a regulatory “gray area”, the D&B team typically initiates its evaluation with a Site/Exposure Assessment of the range. That evaluation identifies range characteristics such as the degree and extent of any lead contamination, soil types, operational practices, depth to groundwater and the presence of environmental receptors such as wetlands and water bodies as possible pathways to human and ecological exposure. Once these parameters are defined, we identify potential regulatory liabilities with respect to the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or “Superfund” by completing a Regulatory Impact Analysis. The
Regulatory Impact Analysis is designed to provide careful consideration of the near and longer-term operational status of the range, since that variable can dramatically affect the results of the Management Strategy.

With this information in hand, a Management Strategy can then be developed to improve the operation and maintenance of the range with the goal of reducing environmental and legal liability. This same model, with some modifications due to the RCRA hazardous waste management implications, can be utilized to address firing ranges that are temporarily out of service or plan to close.

Whether continuing the operation, or planning to close the firing range, the Management Strategy developed will be consistent with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Best Management Practices (BMPs) guidance document. This generally includes the development of a work plan identifying specific BMPs to prevent lead migration, the design and implementation of engineered shot containment techniques and perhaps most importantly, the development of a lead removal, separation and recycling program. If “hot spot” cleanup is required as a result of the site assessment, D&B can assist in the design and implementation of a treatability study to evaluate appropriate remedial technologies for soil washing, vacuuming, screening, sifting and/or raking techniques.

We further assist our clients by evaluating the results of the treatability study and recommend the most feasible technology. We can also prepare plans and specifications to obtain price quotations from qualified contractors for the recommended technology. Lastly, our firm can provide engineering oversight of the remedial construction phase of the project.