Outdoor Firing Range Management Services

• Site/Exposure Assessments
• Treatability Studies and Pilot Tests
• Remedial Design
• Construction Oversight
• Regulatory Analysis
• Management Strategies
• Best Management Practices
• Feasibility Studies

Dvirka and Bartilucci Consulting Engineers (D&B) 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. D&B has over 25 years of experience in conducting hazardous waste site investigations, phase I/phase II environmental site assessments, exposure assessments, treatability studies, feasibility studies and remedial design assignments. Building on that extensive experience, our team of experts brings that knowledge to bear in addressing the potential liability and environmental issues associated with managing active and inactive firing ranges.

While firing ranges often are considered somewhat of a regulatory “gray area”, the D&B team typically initiates its evaluation with a site/exposure assessment of the range. This evaluation identifies the range’s 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, D&B identifies the 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 temporarily are out of service or plan to close.

Whether continuing the operation or planning to close the firing range, the management strategy that has been 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.

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

For more information on D&B’s Environmental Remediation Services, please contact Senior Vice President, Richard W. Walka, at (516) 364-9890 x 3006.