[CPEO-MEF] Shooting range protest grows: from Arizona Daily Sun

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Shooting range protest grows

By GARY GHIOTO
Sun Staff Reporter
01/12/2003

Concerned about "public health, welfare and safety," a group of
Flagstaff-area residents are battling on several fronts to convince the
Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Forest Service to drop plans
for an $8 million shooting range in Bellemont.
Citizens to Relocate the Range quickly grew to 120 members after
groundbreaking on the 770-acre facility featuring skeet shooting,
airgun, pistol, rifle and archery ranges was held last month,
spokeswoman Celia Barotz said.

Since then, four homeowners, including one couple that owns a building
lot adjacent to the proposed range, have filed a lawsuit in U.S.
District Court in Phoenix to block a land exchange crucial to the
project.

Meanwhile, other members of the citizens group are lobbying U.S. Sens.
Jon Kyl and John McCain and several Coconino County supervisors to use
their influence to convince federal and state officials to move the
range.

"This isn't about not liking shooting ranges. We have active, avid
shooters in the association. This is about making responsible, informed
decisions on where to locate facilities that have the potential to have
great impact on surrounding areas," said Barotz, a Flagstaff real estate
agent and former land-use attorney...

The "Environmental Assessment for Bellemont Shooting Facility" issued by
the Coconino National Forest says Forest Service land in Bellemont was
chosen after assessment by the Northern Arizona Shooting Range
Development Team of 20 sites ranging from Camp Navajo to Garland
Prairie.

Camp Navajo was ruled out after the base commander said public access
would interfere with the National Guard's mission. Any new range also
would be "inconsistent with the camp's ongoing effort to clean up past
lead contamination sites," said the Forest Service report.

For the Full Article go to:
http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=57243#storytop

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