- This event has passed.
Comment Deadline – Updated EA on GFP’s Shooting Range at Elk Vale Rd
October 26, 2023 @ 11:30 am - 11:59 am
Draft Update to the Final Environmental Assessment SD Shooting Sports Complex was released by USFWS in late September 2023
Comments are due to USFWS Oct 26th at noon. Send to: Adrianna Araya, Fish and Wildlife Biologist, adrianna_araya@fws.gov or via mail to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Attn: Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration, P.O. Box 25486, Denver, CO, 80225.
The USFWS plans to award lots of money to SD Game, Fish & Parks to help fund the proposed shooting range (a federal action). SDGFP had to change the design to overcome objections/concerns by Meade County Commissioners. As the original EA only had one action alternative and provided no other action alternative, to address the locals concerns about section line relocation, the USFWS needed to do a supplemental EA. SDGFP is actually writing the EAs USFWS is supervising.
PHAS has yet to read this, but when we do, we will put up some discussion comments and maybe have a conservation committee meeting about this. We are concerned about the management of storm water (possibly contaminated with lead) running off the range to surface waters. How storm water management and the monitoring of downstream waters, would happen, was never clear in the last EA or GFP presentations on the range since then.
Link to Press Release 2023
Main web page 2023
https://www.fws.gov/project/south-dakota-shooting-sports-complex-project
Link to Updated Final Environmental Assessment 2023 as PDF
Link to two updated Appendix 2023 as PDF
https://www.fws.gov/media/2023septupdated-appendices-cpdf
https://www.fws.gov/media/2023septupdated-appendices-d-hpdf
OLD STUFF
Final EA from 2022
https://www.fws.gov/media/2022julyrapid-city-shooting-range-final-ea
Appendix from 2022
Updated FONSI from 2022