June 28, 2005, 2:00 PM - 4:15 PM, EDT (18:00-20:15 GMT)

Small arms firing ranges are those ranges accepting 50-caliber or smaller nonexploding ammunition. The primary environmental concern is lead; however, there are other associated metals and a few organics to be considered where applicable. Range operators at military, law enforcement, commercial, and private ranges and the appropriate environmental professional who might be hired to manage a ranges' more complicated environmental issues should attend this Internet-based training on Environmental Management at Operating Outdoor Small Arms Firing Ranges (SMART-2, 2005). Government environmental professionals charged with preventing environmental impact and offering technical assistance to the community should also attend this training and refer to the guidance document whenever they encounter small arms range questions. Government environmental professional are encouraged to use the downloadable version of this training and the associated guidelines as an on-site training tool for range operators in their states and communities.

This training teaches the students that environmental management planning at small arms firing ranges is a method for pollution prevention. The training uses a logic diagram to describe the appropriate steps an environmental professional or range manager should use to establish an operational understanding of a range and the impact it can have on the environment if left unattended. It assists the user to define the environmental characteristics at a range that, left unattended, could potentially impact the environment. It lists the appropriate questions range operators should ask when evaluating the potential for environmental impact. As any potential for impact becomes apparent, the training briefly describes a variety of new and conventional technologies and techniques (i.e., 'best management practices') available to prevent environmental impact on the range. Finally, students will be able to understand range operations and monitoring that will, when appropriately designed, enable the range to operate cost-effectively without endangering the environment or the shooting enthusiasts, law enforcement officers, the military, or the public.

This guidance is a follow-up to ITRC's Characterization and Remediation of Soils at Closed Small Arms Firing Ranges (SMART-1), which addresses the cleanup of closed ranges (the remediation of former ranges so that the locations may be suitable for some other future use). It also includes an easy-to-follow decision process for determining the best remedial alternatives for lead and lead-contaminated soils at closed ranges.

• Bonnie Packer, U.S. Army Environmental Center (bonnie.packer@us.army.mil)
• Richard Patterson, Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (rpatterson@saami.org)
• Elizabeth (Liz) Callahan, MA Dept of Environmental Protection (elizabeth.j.callahan@state.ma.us)
• Mike Warminsky, AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. (mike.warminsky@amec.com)
• Mark Begley, MA Environmental Management Commission(mark.begley@state.ma.us)

• Mary Yelken, ITRC Training Program Support (myelken@earthlink.net)

Press the "Go to Training" button to view the seminar. Please be at this location at the beginning of the conference call.

An archive of this seminar is available for download in Microsoft PowerPoint Format, Adobe Acrobat, and MP3 formats.