Posted on behalf of National Capital Skeet & Trap Club

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  • dgross

    Member
    Jul 19, 2005
    35
    Two letters; the first one is their letter to Ehrlich, which will provide background information, and the second is a generic letter which may be used by readers to send to Ehrlich

    The second letter will be in the message that immediately follows, because I find that posting them in one message is stopped by the posting size-limit.

    ---------- first letter ------------

    NATIONAL CAPITAL SKEET & TRAP CLUB, INC. SENECA CREEK STATE PARK

    "A Non-Profit Organization"

    MAILING ADDRESS:
    P.O. Box 83841
    Gaithersburg, Maryland 20883-3841

    LOCATION:
    16700 RIFFLEFORD ROAD
    DARNESTOWN, MD 20878

    November 15, 2006

    Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
    Office of the Governor
    100 State Circle
    Annapolis, Maryland 21401-1925

    Re: Request to Re-Open National Capital Skeet and Trap, Inc.

    Dear Governor Ehrlich,

    This letter requests that;

    1) You immediately issue a signed lease to National Capital Skeet and Trap Club, Inc. (NCSTC) and;

    2) You issue a use permit to NCSTC, contingent upon our implementing our engineering plan to reorient the shooting fields to preclude any environmental impact.

    To put this situation in context, let us share the background of National Capital Skeet and Trap Club, Inc. NCSTC was established in approximately 1932 in Chevy Chase, Maryland and it was formerly named Montgomery Skeet Club until 1935, when it was renamed National Capital Skeet and Trap, Inc., and moved to Bethesda, Maryland. In 1954, National Capital, a Maryland corporation, moved to the current location at 16700 Riffleford Road, Darnestown, Maryland, and has operated a skeet and trap facility since that time, over 52 years at this location alone.

    In 1979, NCSTC agreed to let the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) purchased the land upon which the club is located, thus allowing the State to incorporate the parcel into the Seneca Creek State Park complex. Since that time, NCSTC has continued to operate a shooting club which is open to the public and provides recreational benefit to a broad cross section of Maryland citizens, and as such, is fully controlled by the State of Maryland.

    NCSTC has ceased shooting operations, at the instruction of your administration, since October 22, 2003 due to the pending threat of litigation by an environmental group, the Potomac River Keepers, and subsequent investigation by the State and NCSTC which showed that the current field orientation did in fact allow some shot to fall in some areas protected by the Clean Water Act. On February 25, 2005, Potomac Riverkeeper, Inc. filed a three count complaint in the United States District Court of Maryland against National Capital and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Subsequently, a summary judgment was issued that dismissed two of the three complaints. In September, 2006, the remaining complaint was sent to mediation which resulted in a settlement between Potomac Riverkeeper, Inc. and the State of Maryland and thus eliminated any remaining obstacles to the reopening of the club.

    Since October, 2003, representatives of your administration have continually assured NCSTC that a shooting sports facility at this location was important to them and that your administration fully supported reopening the shooting range. For example, in 2005, Dr. Roger Sears, President of the Maryland Division of the Izaak Walton League, sent a letter to Ronald Franks, Secretary DNR, urging that he take action to re-open NCSTC (Attachment 1). Mr. Franks replied, stating “It is for this reason that I have assembled an inter-disciplinary team of professions to conduct a resource assessment of the area leased by NCSTC, and have also tasked the State Parks staff to work cooperatively with both NCSTC leadership and regulatory agencies to develop plans, if possible, to physically reconfigure the range as to avoid future deposits of lead shot into protected areas” (Attachment 2). However, to date, nothing has been done despite the fact that NCSTC has cooperated in every possible way and has complied with every request made of them by the State of Maryland.

    During this period, we have;
    • Met numerous times with representatives of your Department of Natural Resources.

    • Paid for environmental engineering studies requested by the State ensuring there are no outstanding negative impacts to the environment.

    • Gained concurrence from the Army Corps of Engineers and representatives of your administration on field orientation and shot fall zones which would preclude any conflict with the Clean Water Act.

    • Prepared engineering and associated documentation for implementation of the reorientation of the shooting fields.

    • Prepared and submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency an Environmental Stewardship Plan consistent with the Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting Facilities.

    • Fully cooperated with the office of your Attorney General on litigation from the Potomac River Keepers, a radical environmental group, for the benefit of our club and the interests of the State of Maryland.

    Despite all of this, your administration has not taken one single tangible action to help us reopen this shooting sports facility.

    NCSTC has worked diligently to eliminate any possible impediments to the Department of Natural Resources authorizing the reopening of the shooting range. In March of 2005, National Capital submitted an engineering plan and proposal which rotates the shooting field, at our expense, one hundred and eighty degrees, and provides noise abatement features in order to maintain our long standing good relations with the local community. These plans, as requested by DNR, included the previously mentioned Environmental Stewardship Plan while ensuring total compliance with the Clean Water Act.

    Later in 2005, officers of NCSTC met with several members of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR). NCSTC was informed that Maryland’s immediate concern was to resolve the pending lawsuit but reassured NCSTC that DNR wanted to retain the shooting range and would work to resolve any outstanding issues after the lawsuit was resolved. But again, DNR has not taken any action at all to allow reopening of the club. Nor has DNR, to date, allowed NCSTC to go forward with our proposed reorientation of the fields which are designed to address even the perception of any remaining environmental issues.

    After the settlement in September, 2006, NCSTC again requested a meeting with DNR to talk about the path forward to the re-opening of the shooting range. However, to our dismay, Secretary Ron Franks refused to even discuss the issue until after the 2006 election. According to the information we received, this refusal was by your direction.

    Governor Ehrlich, the time to reopen NCSTC is now. The election is over and the opportunity to take action without political concerns is at hand. Every environmental and legal issue has been addressed. Insofar as the club sits on State of Maryland property, the authority to reopen this club is unilaterally within your power, all it takes is your direction to do so. The shooting and hunting community in Maryland has steadfastly supported you through two election cycles and has shown commitment to the Republican Party. Now it is your turn to show your commitment to this loyal constituency by immediately taking executive action to reopen National Capital Skeet and Trap Club. Please, let your actions show that you honor the second amendment rights plank of the Republican platform and value the support you have been given by the shooting sports community in Maryland, the Free State.

    The Officers of National Capital would be honored to meet with you and your representatives to resolve the action plan to reopen this vital community recreational resource. You can contact us via our club President, Jay Jeffery at (301) 943-2113. We may also be reached by mail at National Capital Skeet & Trap Club, Inc., PO Box 83841, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20883-3841 or vial email at nctscmail@verizon.net.

    Please don’t let the closing of this club be your legacy.

    Respectfully,

    Officers - National Capital Skeet and Trap, Inc.
     

    dgross

    Member
    Jul 19, 2005
    35
    The Second Letter (continuation of above) -- letter you can use for Ehrlich

    (Put your Return Address Here)


    (Current Date)

    Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
    Office of the Governor
    100 State Circle
    Annapolis, Maryland 21401-1925

    Re: Request to Re-Open National Capital Skeet and Trap, Inc.

    Dear Governor Ehrlich,

    This letter requests that you immediately take whatever steps are necessary to re-open National Capital Skeet and Trap Club, Inc.

    National Capital is one of the oldest shooting facilities in the state and is the only public shooting facility in Montgomery County. Since 1954, National Capital has continued to provide a shooting club which is open to the public and provides recreational benefit to a broad cross section of Maryland citizens.

    Since October, 2003, representatives of your administration have continually assured NCSTC that a shooting sports facility at this location was important to them and that your administration fully supported reopening the shooting range. However, to date, nothing has been done, despite the fact that NCSTC has cooperated in every way possible and has complied with every request made of them by the State of Maryland.

    Governor Ehrlich, the time to reopen NCSTC is now. The election is over and the opportunity to take action without political concerns is at hand. Insofar as the club sits on State of Maryland property, the authority to reopen this club is unilaterally within your power. All it takes is your direction to do so. The shooting and hunting community in Maryland has steadfastly supported you through two election cycles and has show commitment to the Republican Party. Now it is your turn to show your commitment to this loyal constituency by immediately taking executive action to reopen National Capital Skeet and Trap Club. Please, let your actions show that you honor the second amendment rights plank of the Republican platform and value the support you have been given by the shooting sports community in Maryland, the Free State.

    Please don’t let the closing of this club be your legacy.

    Respectfully,



    Supporter - National Capital Skeet and Trap, Inc.
     

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie
    You guys may want to get in touch with Berwyn Rod & Gun Club in Bowie for advice. They were shut down too and had to deal with DNR (or was it MNCPPC?) and some other agencies in order to re-oppen after changes. I have heard it is the only range to be shut down for enviromental concerns to ever re-open.

    They were shut down for years.

    The trap and skeet might want to consider going with steel shot only by the way.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
    Staff member
    Admin
    Moderator
    May 22, 2005
    122,850
    The trap and skeet might want to consider going with steel shot only by the way.

    If they're realigning the fields away from the water, there's no necessity. Some time ago, I recall that Virginia Tech did a study on the impact of lead in soil at shooting ranges and found that the lead didn't migrate from the immediate area/layer of soil at the point of impact.
     

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie
    If they're realigning the fields away from the water, there's no necessity. Some time ago, I recall that Virginia Tech did a study on the impact of lead in soil at shooting ranges and found that the lead didn't migrate from the immediate area/layer of soil at the point of impact.

    Maybe, but the lead restrictions are getting worse as time goes on and it is good to simply avoid it by going to steel shot. That is what Berwyn did with their trap just to avoid any headaches from the EPA that may come.
     

    Norton

    NRA Endowment Member, Rifleman
    Staff member
    Admin
    Moderator
    May 22, 2005
    122,850
    Maybe, but the lead restrictions are getting worse as time goes on and it is good to simply avoid it by going to steel shot. That is what Berwyn did with their trap just to avoid any headaches from the EPA that may come.

    Steel shot is expensive....I don't really want to spend that kind of money just because some "tree hugger" "feels" that lead shot is hazardous when the scientific data show otherwise. ;)
     

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie
    Steel shot is expensive....I don't really want to spend that kind of money just because some "tree hugger" "feels" that lead shot is hazardous when the scientific data show otherwise. ;)

    Well, with this range in question it may not be an issue, but with some ranges they may have to close someday and the soil will be contaminated with lead. As I understand it, lead contaminated soil is considered hazardous waste which meanse costly cleanup.

    On a side not, Berwyn uses a special type of treated soil for their backstop on the rifle/pistol ranges which further encapsulates the lead and the EPA classifies as "industrial waste" instead of hazardous waste. The soil (industrial waste) can be simply loaded up and shipped to a dump (or something on on those grounds).
     

    DD214

    Founder
    Apr 26, 2005
    14,081
    St Mary's County
    Make the targets out of meat. Wild animals sneak in at night and eat the meat, and in turn carry it and the lead away from the range. Problem solved! :innocent0
     
    Sep 17, 2008
    9
    What ever happened with National Capital Skeet and Trap Club? Do they still exist? I know there was talk of redirecting the ranges back in the day.

    -John
     
    Sh!t like this is PRECISELY why I will NEVER give one penny to ANY environmental charities, regardless of who they say they are...

    The Potomac Riverkeepers? Sure, sounds innocent enough. Everyone's for clean water, right? What could be the harm in supporting them, right?


    Well, how about your range getting closed?



    Environmetal activism is just another "straw man" for authoritarian liberalism. Just another cog in the gear of the machine that wants to take your freedoms and control your life down to the smallest degree.

    I don't mean to imply that the only purpose of the Potomac Riverkeepers was to shut down this range - but I think it's an accurate assertion that shooting sports don't generally sit well with people of their ilk, and they used this as a motivation for going after the range under the convieniant banner of clean water activism. A "we don't like people with guns, so let's see what we can do to stop them" kind of thing...


    So the next time someone wants you to stroke a check to the Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Freinds of Earth, Nature Conservancy, Audobon Society, ect.., just remember, you'll be helping someone who will use that money to pursue things just like this case...
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,600
    AA county
    On a side not, Berwyn uses a special type of treated soil for their backstop on the rifle/pistol ranges which further encapsulates the lead and the EPA classifies as "industrial waste" instead of hazardous waste. The soil (industrial waste) can be simply loaded up and shipped to a dump (or something on on those grounds).

    .
     

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie

    Yes, but like I said in the other thread they also had the soil studied and discovered the soil not in the berm encapsulates the lead naturally, so even though Berwyn has a creek running through or near it, there is no lead leaching to the water or off the property. However, if they wanted to later sell the land the lead would still be in the soil for whomever bought it and so therefore they went with steel shot only on the trap range and used the treated sand in the backstop for rifle pistol to minimize future contamination and for easier removal.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,600
    AA county
    Yes, but like I said in the other thread they also had the soil studied and discovered the soil not in the berm encapsulates the lead naturally, so even though Berwyn has a creek running through or near it, there is no lead leaching to the water or off the property. However, if they wanted to later sell the land the lead would still be in the soil for whomever bought it and so therefore they went with steel shot only on the trap range and used the treated sand in the backstop for rifle pistol to minimize future contamination and for easier removal.

    What, what was that? They used treated sand in the berm?
     

    novus collectus

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    May 1, 2005
    17,358
    Bowie
    Actually I don't think it was EPA but rather an anticipation of the EPA requiring it and it had more to do with appeasing local and state officials or the court. It turned out that the insurance company that insures MD gun ranges also required it.

    But I repeat, the top soil already encapsulated the lead fragments by creating a patina layer because of its chemical composition. They discovered this when they closed down and commissioned a study of the surrounding soil. The difference between the berms encapsulating the lead is that the way it is treated as the type of waste after removal and instead of being hazardous waste it is just industrial waste or something. BUt this was an aside to the fact that the soil in and around Berwyn does not allow the lead to disolve in the rain water runoff and the lead quickly turns mostly inert once buried in the soil there.
    We were talking about the trap range and not the berms in that thread initially and I was talking about the soil outside the berms encapsulating the lead. In that thread -as you see from my quote above- I also mentioned the treated sand in the berms for the rifle pistol range.
     

    brendaliz

    Member
    Mar 2, 2010
    2
    So, sorry to reply to an old thread and a topic that seems all but dead, but I was curious if any efforts exist to re-open this range. Is there still a legal battle? Something the county is pursing? Just curious if there was anything to follow.
     

    E.Shell

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 5, 2007
    10,226
    Mid-Merlind
    Yeah, nothing like necroposting to a 4 year old thread to make it seem like "Groundhog Day"....

    Welcome to the forum brendalz!

    Best I can tell, the club was already closed four years ago when the first letter was generated and has been ever since.
     

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