Federal regulations about shooting near airports and lead in the environment may delay construction of a firing range for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
The Federal Aviation Administration and Environmental Protection Agency both have rules that would affect a potential range, the Board of Supervisors learned this week.
Last week, Sheriff Berkley Hall proposed locating a facility on land off Airport Road recently acquired from the state.
The sheriff and Board submitted a plan to the Marion County Economic Development District, which now owns the land. Lori Watts, president of the Marion County Development Partnership, spoke with supervisors Monday.
“The district board met last Thursday, and they discussed the request concerning the shooting range,” Watts said. “Everybody wants that to happen, but we had a previous experience two years ago that allowed the board to have some information about some obstacles that are there that we wouldn’t have had otherwise had we not had that experience.”
In 2016, someone approached the state about purchasing some of the property for the purpose of locating a firing range in the same location.
“In trying to work with them to do that, there were several folks who came down from the Mississippi Development Authority,” Watts said. “They found that there are some FAA regulations concerning shooting ranges within 20,000 feet of an airport. There is an application that has to be made, and it is a case-by-case basis. That application would have to be made to the FAA.”
Another challenge also exists, according to Watts, and it is with the EPA.
“This would be for the lead that is in the firing range,” she said. “The District will act on the proposal as soon as those obstacles can be addressed. We have a list of steps that could be followed to make those issues satisfied.”
The people who had previously inquired to the state about the land chose not to pursue the development.
“There are some challenges, but they could be worked through if that is the best spot for the range,” Watts said. “I think having the FAA sign off on it would certainly be the first step.”
The Board and Sheriff Hall will continue to discuss the options before taking action.
