Shooting facility under scrutiny

A down-and-up year, that's how 2009 has played out for Southern Nevada's recreational shooters.

Down because the year started with the new Clark County Shooting Park locked in a court battle in which the plaintiffs sought to halt construction of the facility and prevent the county from opening its gates to the public. Down because the popular Desert Lake Shooting Club in Boulder City closed its doors in June. And down because the Las Vegas community lost another piece of history when the last shots taken at the Las Vegas Gun Club were fired before the facility's gates were closed forever a week before Christmas.

Up because it finally looks as if shooters will be breaking clay pigeons and punching holes in targets at the Clark County and Desert Lake facilities well into the foreseeable future. Only what once was Desert Lake now is the Desert Hills Shooting Club.

After hearing arguments from both sides of the issue in the legal challenge brought by a group called Residents for the Relocation of the Clark County Shooting Park, LLC, U.S. District Court Judge Lloyd George denied the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction. The court found "that the plaintiffs have not met their burden of offering evidence establishing that irreparable harm is likely in the absence of an injunction."

That decision allowed construction to move forward, and, despite the lawsuit and other setbacks, park manager Don Turner swung open the gates to shooters for the first time on Dec. 19. The park will be open for the New Year's Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Starting next week, the park will be open to shooters from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Though George allowed construction on the park to continue, he requested the Bureau of Land Management to complete an Environmental Assessment in regard to the congressionally ordered transfer of nearly 2,900 acres of BLM land that made the shooting park possible.

The resource agency complied and released an initial EA for public comment in August. Interested parties submitted 1,046 comment letters, most expressing opinions in favor of the shooting park conveyance. However, "several of the comments provided new information or raised questions or concerns regarding the EA that went beyond simple expressions of opinion," so the BLM opted to complete a second EA.

After examining the second EA, Robert Ross Jr., Las Vegas field manager for the BLM, wrote, "I have determined the Proposed Action will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment and that preparation of an additional EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) is not required." The BLM released the second EA for public comment Dec. 16 and will accept comments until Jan. 29.

The environmental assessment is available at www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo.html. Written comments should be addressed to Bob Ross, BLM Las Vegas field manager, 4701 N. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas, NV, 89130.

Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. His "In the Outdoors" column, published Thursday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions he states in his column are his own. He can be reached at dougnielsen@att.net.