EL DORADO COUNTY-
After hearing two hours of testimony from a packed chamber, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors directed staff to research what authority the county has over a proposed gun range on Miwok Indian Tribal land.
The proposed range would be just off US 50, east of Shingle Springs Drive. The bullets would fly parallel to the freeway, and would lodge into a lead containment system so they wouldn’t go into the ground, according to plans released by the tribe. There would also be a 15-foot dirt berm and rows of trees surrounding the range.
At Tuesday’s meeting, residents who are concerned about stray bullets and noise highlighted the range’s proximity to roads, homes, recreation trails, and schools. The site is one half mile away from a Montessori school.
The Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, being a Sovereign Indian Nation, does not have to go through the same permit and disclosure process that many commercial businesses have to follow. The tribe’s lawyer tells FOX40 they are committed to safety and an open dialogue with concerned neighbors.
Some of the those neighbors, members of the Shingle Springs Community Alliance, tell FOX40 they are not satisfied with the flow of information about the project so far, from elected leaders in particular.
The staff report requested by the board on Tuesday will seek to clarify some of the confusion.
The tribe’s current timeline calls for the range to open in the summer of 2015. It would be open to the public, and would staffed during all business hours by a range safety officer, according to the tribe.
