WILKES-BARRE — Even without knowing what the specific plans are to deal with lead contamination at the state shooting range in Sweet Valley, Brian Gallagher called them insufficient.
Gallagher was responsible for getting the federal Environmental Protection Agency involved and conducting soil and water tests at the Pennsylvania State Game Lands 206 range after he couldn’t generate interest from the state. The tests from October 2014 found elevated levels of lead in the ground on and near the range along Patla Road.
The results from water samples taken in April of this year showed lead contamination was limited to a backstop on the range.
EPA officials will meet Thursday with the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and a staff member of state Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, to discuss the agency’s recommendations and then bow out. But Gallagher, a retired Navy fighter pilot, plans to stick around.
“This is far from over,” Gallagher, 52, said Wednesday.
He’s concerned the plans will address surface water that runoffs of the range and into nearby Arnold Creek while ignoring the underlying problem of the effects on ground water. The EPA’s report deals with surface water samples and concluded, there was no contamination off site of drinking water.
“They won’t even use the word ground water because that is a complete game changer,” Gallagher said.
He was not invited to attend the meeting at 2 p.m. at DEP’s Northeast Regional Office despite having asked regional director Michael Bedrin for permission to address the group. Colleen Connolly, a DEP spokeswoman, said the meeting was not open to the public.
Earlier this month DEP officials visited with Gallagher at his Ross Township home near the shooting range and the department reviewed the material and photographs he provided.
In a July 10 email provided by Gallagher, Bedrin said, “I can assure you that your voice is being heard.”
Bedrin further explained why Gallagher was not allowed to attend the meeting. “I understand your interest and concern in this matter but since this will be the first time the Game Commission will be seeing the recommendations I believe it is most appropriate to limit the meeting to agency staff,” Bedrin said. Afterward the recommendations will be available to Gallagher, Bedrin said.
But unless anyone addresses how to prevent the lead from getting into the ground water, it’s like “putting a Band-aid on an open chest wound,” Gallagher said.
The range does not follow best management practices so that backstop made of crushed stone, sand or other materials, grabs an entire bullet, Gallagher maintained. The bullets, whether lead or jacketed in metal, are pulverized after striking a rock ledge, he said.
“They haven’t even taken any action to stop the fragmentation,” Gallagher said.
Storm water can move the pulverized lead off site he said, referring to the EPA’s June 2005 “Best Management Practices for Lead at Outdoor Shooting Ranges.” There is also the potential for it to dissolve in acidic water or soil and make its way into the groundwater, he pointed out.
“This is wrong what they’re doing,” Gallagher said.