Controversial Gun Program “Searching” For Opportunities
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In the past six months, we’ve twice reported on a contentious program undertaken by the Boston Police Department, in which police officers seek “voluntary” permission to enter and search people’s homes (and specifically, children’s bedrooms) for drugs and firearms—without warrants. |
Outrage Of The Week: This week’s outrage comes courtesy of Philadelphia Police Commissioner, and former Washington, D.C. police chief, Charles Ramsey.
ILA Dinner and Auction At Annual Meetings: The Institute for Legislative Action will hold its Second Annual Dinner and Auction in conjunction with the NRA Annual Meetings in Louisville, Kentucky on Friday evening, May 16th.
Plan To Attend Free Louisville Grassroots Workshop! The NRA-ILA Grassroots Division will host its FREEGrassroots Workshop in conjunction with NRA’s Annual Meetings in Louisville. This Workshop has been a regular part of NRA’s Annual Meetings for more than a decade. At this event, you will hear from NRA officers, NRA staff, and your fellow NRA members on what you can do in your own community to ensure victory for the Second Amendment in this year’s elections.
Additional Grassroots Event Planned For Louisville! In addition to the FREEGrassroots Workshop being held in conjunction with NRA’s Annual Meetings in Louisville, the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division is holding an additional FREE Special Session in Louisville.
Volunteers Needed for 2008 NRA Annual Meetings: The 2008 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits will be an exciting weekend as thousands of NRA members will come together May 16-18, 2008, in Louisville, KY. You can contribute to the success of our meeting by participating as an Annual Meeting Volunteer.
Stop BATFE Abuses -- Urge Your Congressman To Cosponsor H.R. 4900: Continuing concern about the treatment of firearm dealers by BATFE has caused members of the U.S. House of Representatives--with NRA-ILA’s full support--to push for new and improved reform legislation. That push has taken the form of H.R. 4900 -- the “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act.”
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ARIZONA: Critical Right-to-Carry Reform Measures Head to Senate Committee! Two critical Right-to-Carry bills are awaiting hearings in the Senate Rules Committee. House Bill 2389 clarifies where an individual may carry a firearm visibly or concealed in a mode of transportation other than public transit. Also, House Bill 2634 would allow for a person whose civil rights have been restored to obtain a permit to carry a concealed firearm with certain restrictions. If the bills are passed out of the Senate Rules Committee, they will be debated on the Senate floor. Please contact the members of the Senate Rules Committee today and respectfully urge them to support these critical measures! For committee member contact information please click here.
Critical Self-Defense Measures Need Your Help! After weeks of hard work and fervent pressure placed on State Legislators by the gun-owner community of Arizona, House Bill 2630 is set to head to Governor Janet Napolitano’s (D) desk for her consideration. HB2630 would reduce the penalty for carrying a concealed weapon without a concealed carry permit to a petty offense. Please contact Governor Napolitano TODAY and respectfully urge her to sign this important self-defense measure into law. You can contact Governor Napolitano by phone at (602) 542-4331 or email by clicking here. Also, House Bill 2629, which clarifies how and when a firearm may be displayed for defensive purposes, is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Committee of the Whole. Please contact your State Senator today, and respectfully urge him or her to support HB2629 when it comes before the Senate for a vote. To find contact information for your State Senator, please click here.
Join NRA Board Member at Luncheon and Book Signing! You are cordially invited to an event with NRA Board Member Grover Norquist. Grover will be in Tucson, Arizona on Monday, May 5th, at the Doubletree Inn, for a luncheon and book signing of his new book, “Leave us Alone: Getting the Government’s Hands off Our Money, Our Guns, Our Lives.” Please call Paula Maxwell at (520) 321-1492 for more information.
Former NRA president Sandra Froman will be the keynote speaker at the Arizona State Rifle & Pistol Association’s Annual Banquet and raffle. The event will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, 552 N. 40th Street in Phoenix. For tickets and more information, please e-mail [email protected], call (602) 524-4437, or visit the ASRPA website at http://www.asrpa.com/.
Forest Service Plan Designates OHV Use in Kaibab National Forest: The Forest Service is accepting public comments until May 9th in advance of preparing a proposal for the management of off-highway vehicle use in the Kaibab national Forest. Game retrieval off-road will be allowed with certain restrictions. Electronic comments can be posted at the Forest's website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/kai/travelmanagement/index.shtml or to the Williams Ranger District, 742 South Clover Road, Williams, AZ 86046-9122. You may contact Linda Martin, Travel Management Team Leader, at (928) 635-5614, or by e-mail at [email protected]
CALIFORNIA: Management of Public Lands Under Review in California: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is beginning to revise the Caliente Resource Management Plan (RMP) that guides the management of approximately 600,000 acres of public land within Kings, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Ventura, and western Kern counties. Hunting and recreational shooting are allowed on these lands. The current RMP was completed in 1997. A copy is available for reference at: www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfield/Programs/planning/rmpcontents.html. The public is invited to submit ideas on how these public lands should be managed and used into the future. Comments may be submitted via email by sending them to: [email protected], or by mailing them to: RMP Revision, Bureau of Land Management, 3801 Pegasus Dr, Bakersfield, CA 93308. Comments will be accepted through May 5. In order to assure that sportsmen's interests are anchored in this planning process, it is important that hunters and recreational shooters take the time to submit comments.
COLORADO: Hunting Ban Being Discussed! The Colorado Wildlife Commission will meet to discuss a complete ban on prairie dog hunting in the state of Colorado April 30-May 1. While radical anti-hunting/animal rights groups are targeting prairie dog hunting as cruel, it is a traditional sporting activity and necessary management tool, especially for ranching interests in the state. The Colorado Wildlife Commission will be meeting at the Holiday Inn located at 755 Horizon Drive in Grand Junction. Public comments will be heard on May 1 throughout the day. Please make plans to attend these meetings and voice your support of all hunting in Colorado. It is critical that sportsmen show that the radical anti-hunting lobby is in the minority by significantly out numbering them at the meeting. If you are unable to attend, please call the Colorado Wildlife Commission at (303) 297-1192 and inform them that you are strongly opposed to any attempt to ban prairie dog hunting in Colorado.
DELAWARE: “Landowner Liability Protection Act” Delayed in Committee! This week, House Bill 341, “Landowner Liability Protection Act,” was scheduled for a vote in the House Housing & Community Affairs Committee, but was delayed because of opposition from the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association. HB341 would ensure that landowners who allow public hunting access incur no liability for property damage or personal injuries caused by hunters -- regardless of whether the damage occurs on or off the landowner's property. If HB341 is not enacted, landowners will continue to deny access to hunters for fear of being sued. Please contact the members of the House Housing & Community Affairs Committee TODAY and respectfully urge them to support this crucial piece of legislation. To find contact information for the committee members, please click here.
GEORGIA: Gun Ban Advocates Urge Governor to Veto Critical Self-Defense Bill!Earlier this month the Georgia legislature passed House Bill 89 and sent it to Governor Sonny Perdue (R) for his consideration. This NRA supported measure makes numerous improvements to Georgia’s Right-to-Carry laws and represents the most comprehensive pro-gun reform measure to pass in nearly 20 years. Unfortunately, Governor Perdue has not yet signed HB 89 and gun ban advocates and their anti-gun allies in the business community are urging him to veto the bill. It is critical that the Governor hears from you and every other gun owner in Georgia. Let him know you’re counting on him to sign HB 89 into law. Governor Perdue needs to hear from you. Let him know that HB 89 is exactly what law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen want in Georgia. Please call Governor Perdue TODAY and respectfully urge him to protect your right to self-defense by signing HB 89 into law. You can contact Governor Perdue at (404) 656-1776 or via email by clicking here.
IDAHO: BLM Will Develop a Management Plan for 783,000 Public Land Acres: The Bureau of Land Management has begun the process of developing a management plan for public land that falls within the jurisdiction of its Four Rivers Field Office and includes land in Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Payette, Valley, and Washington Counties. This first step in the process is designed to identify issues and interests that will guide the development of the management plan. Comments may be sent to http://www.blm.gov/id/st/en/fo/four_rivers/Planning/four_rivers_resource.html, or e-mail to [email protected]. For further information about the process and dates for public meetings, you may call 208-384-3300. For sportsmen who recreate on these lands, it is important that your voice is heard early in the planning process.
IOWA: Employees’ Rights Stifled! This week, James William Spiers, a Pizza Hut delivery person, was “asked to resign” from Pizza Hut after a recent incident where he defended himself with a firearm. On this particular delivery an armed male confronted Spiers, and instead of becoming a victim, Spiers, a law-abiding gun owner, defended himself with his handgun. Spiers was acquitted of assault, but Pizza Hut fired him. Please take a moment and contact Pizza Hut Headquarters at (972) 338-7700 and urge them to support their employees’ Second Amendment rights to self-defense.
KANSAS: Governor Signs Two Pro-Gun Bills into Law! On, Monday, April 21, Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) signed two important pro-gun bills into law. The first, House Bill 2280, will protect law-abiding gun owners’ right to keep and bear arms, and would prevent the confiscation of firearms during a state of emergency, such as occurred following Hurricane Katrina and after the tornado devastation in Greensburg. Also signed was Senate Bill 46, legislation that will allow Kansas firearm retailers, manufacturers, importers and citizens qualified under the National Firearms Act to sell, manufacture, import and own NFA firearms, consistent with federal law. Please contact the Governor TODAY and thank her for signing HB2280 and SB46. Governor Sebelius can be reached by phone at 1-877-579-6757 or locally at 785-296-3232. You can also email her by clicking here.
LOUISIANA: Right-to-Carry Reform Moves to Senate Floor!On Thursday, April 24, the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways & Public Works unanimously passed out Senate Bill 51. This NRA-backed measure would affirm law-abiding Louisianans' right to transport and store lawfully owned firearms in private motor vehicles, even when parked on property controlled by a business or by their employer (as long as the car or truck remains locked while parked in such areas). The full Senate will consider the measure next week. Please contact your State Senator and urge him or her to support SB 51! Contact information for your State Senator can be found by clicking here.
Plan for Red River National Wildlife Refuge Includes Hunting: The Fish and Wildlife Service has issued a draft plan for the Red River National Wildlife Refuge, a unit of the North Louisiana Complex. Plans to expand current hunting opportunities are included in the Service's proposal for managing the refuge over the next 15 years. Comments will be accepted until May 14th and can be sent via electronic mail to: [email protected]. The plan is available for review at http://southeast.fws.gov/planning, or may be mailed to Tina Chouinard, Natural Resource Planner, Fish and Wildlife Service, 6772 Highway 76 South, Stanton, TN 38069.
MARYLAND: Maryland State Police Seeking to Retool Ballistic Imaging Program! The Maryland State Police have quietly drafted new regulations on the state’s ballistic imaging program, the Maryland Integrated Ballistics Identification System (MD-IBIS). By eliminating the crime scene references, the database may “be searchable for comparison purposes to shell casings that are NOT from crime scenes.” In 2005, the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division called for the scrapping of the program after it stated it found the program to be an ineffective tool for law enforcement and “has not met the expectations and does not aid in the Mission statement of the Department of State Police” and costing the taxpayers of Maryland over $2.5 million dollars. Now, the Maryland State Police are looking to expand this program with no cause and clarification for the changes. In March 2008, the National Academy of Sciences released a report that concluded, “that a national reference database of ballistic images should not be established” because, among other things, “[T]he validity of the fundamental assumptions of uniqueness and reproducibility of firearms-related toolmarks has not yet been fully established.” Please continue checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for further updates on this issue.
MASSACHUSETTS: Amendment Filed to House Budget to Reduce Firearm License Fees! State Representative George Peterson (R-9th Worcester) has filed an amendment to the House FY2009 Budget regarding Firearms License Fees. This amendment reduces the current license fees for a License to Carry Firearms/Firearm Identification Card from $100 to $40. The current fee structure is excessive and amounts to a tax on the Second Amendment rights of the citizens to own firearms---and those who cannot afford the fees are forced to give up their rights in the Commonwealth. Please contact your State Legislators and ask them to support State Representative Peterson's FY2009 House Budget amendment. To contact your State Legislators please click here.
Emergency Powers Bill Heads to Senate Floor! S.1401, "An Act Prohibiting the Confiscation of Lawfully Owned Firearms During a State of Emergency," has been passed by the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security and will now head to the Senate floor for consideration. S.1401 would protect our Second Amendment rights by prohibiting any government agency from confiscating or regulating the lawful sale, possession, transfer, transport and carry of firearms during a state of emergency. Please continue to contact your State Senator today at (617) 722-1455 and respectfully urge him or her to support S.1401. You can find your State Senator and his or her contact information by clicking here.
MICHIGAN: Registration Reform Assigned to Senate Committee! House Bill 4490 sponsored by State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93) and House Bill 4491 introduced by State Representative Joel Sheltrown (D-103) have passed the House and have been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. A hearing date has not been scheduled yet. The bills would repeal the required "safety inspection" for newly obtained handguns. Michigan law requires anyone who comes into possession of a pistol to take it to the police or sheriff’s department for a safety inspection. The requirement of a safety inspection is a burdensome waste of time for law-abiding gun owners and the bills will end that inconvenience. Please contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and respectfully urge them to support these necessary pieces of legislation. For committee member contact information please click here.
MISSOURI: “Gun Rights Rally” Comes to Missouri! On Tuesday, April 29, the annual "Gun Rights Rally" will be held in the capitol, 1st floor rotunda in Jefferson City, beginning at 10:00 a.m. Please don't miss this opportunity to join with fellow NRA members and other law-abiding Missouri firearm owners as we continue our efforts to protect and further enhance our Right to Keep and Bear Arms! Together we have made great strides in the ongoing battle to protect our freedoms, but there is still a lot of work to be done. You can help assist in this effort by participating in the rally. Transportation has been arranged from both the Kansas City and St. Louis areas. For more information and complete rally details, please visit www.missouricarry.com/news2.htm
Important Second Amendment Measures Pass Missouri House! This week, the Missouri House of Representatives passed both House Bill 1383 and House Bill 2034. HB1383 would protect a law-abiding gun owners right to keep a firearm locked in a vehicle in a public parking lot. HB2034, a range protection measure, would ensure that current and future generations of gun owners would have adequate ranges where they can practice safe and responsible firearm use. Both bills now head to the Senate for consideration. Please keep checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for further updates on these important measures.
NEW YORK: Anti-Gun Bills Head to Senate Committee! After a week of scheduled leave for spring break, the Senate came back to work this past Monday. As we reported last week, there were several anti-gun bills that passed out of the State Assembly, and they will more than likely now be heard in the Senate Codes Committee. AB 6525A would create new requirements and liability for gun dealers. AB 9819A, would seek to ban the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called "microstamping" technology. AB 7331 would expand the ban on so-called “assault weapons.” AB 3451 would expand the ballistic imaging program. AB 2772 would ban certain .50 caliber firearms. AB 829 would require "childproof" firearms. AB 76 would require mandatory storage. AB 3447 would ban frangible ammunition. Please contact your State Senator today at (518) 455-2800 and respectfully urge him or her to vote "NO" on these NRA-opposed measures. To find your State Senator, click here.
Youth Mentor Hunting Program Passes Senate! On Tuesday, April 8, the New York State Senate passed Senate Bill 1284, the Youth Mentor Hunting Program. S1284 creates a youth hunting mentor program, allowing individuals ages 14 and older to hunt with a licensed mentor, age 21 or older. Assembly Bill 733A, the companion measure to S1284, still needs our support. AB733A will allow individuals ages 14 and older to hunt with a licensed mentor. Both of these measures are important in further securing the right to hunt in New York. Please call your State Assembly Member today at (518) 455-4100 and respectfully urge him or her to support Assembly Bill 733A. To find your Assembly Member, please click here.
Hunting Under Discussion in the Management Plan for Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge: Staff of the Iroquois NWR, a 10,000-acre refuge between Buffalo and Rochester, is launching the first stage in the process of developing a 15-year management plan for the refuge. The first stage is to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider. The public is invited to comment until April 30, 2008. It is important for the refuge staff to hear from hunters because the refuge is open to waterfowl, big game, small game, and turkey hunting. We want to ensure that those hunting opportunities are included and enhanced in the new management plan. Comments can be sent to [email protected]. Include “Iroquois NWR CCP/EA” in the subject line. Information about public meetings to be held can be found at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/iroquois. You may also call Thomas Roster, Project Leader, at (585) 948-5445.
NORTH CAROLINA: Wesley Chapel Hunting Hearing Postponed! After being rescheduled twice, the Wesley Chapel town council has again pushed a hearing back on a proposed ordinance dealing hunting in Wesley Chapel. This proposed ordinance would severely restrict our Second Amendment and hunting rights by restricting the discharge of firearms within 450 feet of any dwelling, building, or field containing livestock; effectively preventing the discharge of any firearm in most areas of Wesley Chapel. While the ordinance includes certain exemptions, it is unnecessary, as truly reckless behavior is already considered illegal or otherwise already adequately regulated under state law. While a date has not been set for the hearing, we will keep you informed of the any updates. Please keep checking your email and www.NRAILA.org.
OHIO: “Castle Doctrine” Legislation Heads to House for Consideration! Senate Bill 184, Ohio’s “Castle Doctrine” legislation has now been referred to the House Criminal Justice Committee and is awaiting a hearing date. SB 184, sponsored by State Senator Steve Buehrer (R-1), would help restore the fundamental right of self-defense. This legislation would restore the right of individuals to respond with force in defense of their lives and family, and immunize the victim from civil lawsuits by criminals or the criminal’s family. Please contact your State Representative TODAY and respectfully urge him or her to vote for this important piece of legislation when it comes before them. To find contact information for your State Representative, please click here.
OKLAHOMA: Right to Hunt Legislation Passes House, Heads to Senate! By an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 97 to 2, the House of Representatives approved SJR38, authored by Senate Co-Pro Tem Glenn Coffee (R-30) and State Representative Randy Terrill (R-53). SJR38 provides language to amend Oklahoma's state constitution to protect our right to hunt and harvest game. If passed by the Senate, this amendment will be placed on the ballot and submitted for approval by the voters in this November's General Election. Please contact your State Senator and strongly encourage him or her to protect Oklahoma's time-honored hunting heritage by voting for SJR38 in its current form. To find contact information for your State Senator please click here.
PENNSYLVANIA: Lower Chichester Township Tables Anti-Gun Ordinance! This week, the Board of Commissioners of the Lower Chichester Township decided to table a proposed anti-gun ordinance. This ordinance would have required a buyer, seller, owner, tenant, or applicant to disclose whether there are or presumably will be any firearms, handguns, rifles, shotguns, ammunition, and gunpowder present prior to the sale or lease of any property. All parties involved (applicant, seller, buyer, owner and/or tenant) would be required to send law enforcement a copy of the “application” detailing the type and number of firearms, and the type and amount of any ammunition or gunpowder. Any violation of the ordinance would be subject to a penalty. This ordinance is in direct violation of Pennsylvania’s state preemption law. Thank you to all of the NRA members who contacted their commissioner and/or attended the meeting in opposition to this ordinance. Please continue to check www.NRAILA.org for further updates on this issue.
Hunting Under Discussion in the Management Plan for Erie National Wildlife Refuge: Staff of the Erie NWR, an 8,800-acre refuge 35 miles south of Lake Erie in northwestern PA, is launching the first stage in the process of developing a 15-year management plan for the refuge. The first stage is to obtain suggestions and information on the scope of issues to consider. The public is invited to comment until April 30, 2008. It is important for the refuge staff to hear from hunters because the refuge is open to waterfowl, big game, small game, and turkey hunting. We want to ensure that those hunting opportunities are included and enhanced in the new management plan. Comments can be sent to [email protected]. Include “Erie NWR CCP/EA” in the subject line. Information about public meetings to be held can be found at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/erie. You may also call Thomas Roster, Project Leader, at (585) 948-5445.
RHODE ISLAND: Fee Increase to be Discussed in House Committee! On Thursday, May 1, the Rhode Island House Finance Committee heard testimony on House Bill 7247. H7247 will implement a steep increase (over 50%) in fees for resident pistol permit holders. Out-of-state permit holders would also see a sharp increase in fees with this bill, as well as a decrease in the length of permit duration from four years to one year. Please contact the members of the House Finance Committee and respectfully urge them to oppose H7247. For committee member contact information please click here.
“Microstamping” Legislation Heard in Senate Committee! This week, the Senate Committee on Judiciary heard testimony over Senate Bill 2720. S2720 would ban the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called "microstamping" technology. Microstamping is an unproven technology that would require identifying marks to be etched into the firing pin and breech face of a firearm in such a manner that these marks are transferred to the cartridge case upon firing. The technology can easily be defeated with common household tools, has no public safety value, and will add substantially to the cost of the firearm. It is critical that the members of the Senate committee hear from the pro-gun community in Rhode Island. For contact information for the Senate Committee on Judiciary, please click here. Please also, contact your State Senator today and urge them to oppose any attack on your Second Amendment rights. You can find your State Senator here.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Right to Hunt Amendment Still Needs Work! NRA continues to work with key State Senators in Columbia to fix H 3202, the Right to Hunt and Fish Constitutional Amendment. Originally, this legislation would have allowed South Carolina voters to vote on an amendment to the South Carolina Constitution that would have recognized the Right to Hunt and Fish for future generations. This version included two of the most important protections--protecting the right to hunt species "traditionally pursued," and the right to use "traditional methods" for taking game. In the senate, however, these critical points were removed through amendments. Negotiations have led to a new version, which does protect hunting wildlife "traditionally pursued," but still falls short of protecting "traditional methods." The only way to ensure hunting is fully protected in the Palmetto State is if H 3202 includes language that protects "traditional methods" used for taking game. Please contact your State Senator and respectfully urge him or her to work with NRA to ensure H 3202 includes specific protections for hunting game "traditionally pursued," as well as for using "traditional methods" for taking game. To find your State Senator please click here.
VIRGINIA: Rifle Hunting Ban in Charles City! The Charles City County Board of Supervisors voted 2 to 1 to ban the use of centerfire rifles for deer hunting throughout the county. This politically motivated rifle ban was approved despite testimony from NRA and many hunters who opposed the prohibition. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries had previously told the supervisors that there was no reason to restrict rifle hunting in the county. Rifle hunting had been allowed for two years and there were no safety incidents associated with it. Neighboring counties with far greater population densities have traditionally allowed rifle hunting without safety problems. This ban will hurt hunting opportunities and deer management practices detrimentally. NRA-ILA will continue to work to ensure that science, not politics and emotion, dictates hunting regulations in the Commonwealth. Hunters in other jurisdictions should remain vigilant and be prepared to help protect our hunting heritage as this ill-conceived policy threatens to spread elsewhere.
Plan To Attend Virginia Conservative Leadership Conference This Weekend! Virginia NRA Members are encouraged to attend the upcoming Virginia Conservative Leadership Conference (VCLC) in Richmond. The event will be held tomorrow, Saturday, April 26, at The Greater Richmond Convention Center, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
A veritable “who’s who” of the Virginia Conservative movement will be attending and presenting at the 2008 VCLC. Speakers will include Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, Senator Ken Cuccinelli, former Governor Jim Gilmore, NRA-ILA Director of Federal Affairs Chuck Cunningham, and many more (for a complete listing of speakers, please click here).
The action-packed agenda features 11 relevant, informative sessions throughout the day, focusing on conservative issues important to all Virginians. The event will culminate with a 6:00 p.m., “Reagan Banquet,” featuring keynote speaker Attorney General Bob McDonnell.
VCLC 2008 is co-sponsored by NRA and 26 leading conservative organizations.
For additional information, or to register for the conference, please visit VCLC online at www.virginiaconservative.org/
We hope you make plans to attend VCLC 2008!
WASHINGTON: BLM Preparing Rules for Target Shooting in Recreation Area: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Border Field Office, is seeking public comments on a proposal to implement additional rules for target shooting at Fishtrap Lake Recreation Area, a 9000-acre area 30 miles southwest of Spokane near the town of Sprague. This action is being prompted by complaints from local residents and livestock grazing lessees. A scoping notice that provides background information and outlines the preliminary issues and alternatives identified by BLM can be found at www.blm.gov/or/districts/spokane/plans. Click on "Scoping Letter" for information about the management alternatives the BLM is proposing. Public comments are being sought until May 6, 2008 and may be submitted via email to [email protected] or via postal mail to the BLM Border Field Office, ATTN: Scott Pavey, 1103 N. Fancher Road., Spokane Valley, Washington, 99212-1275. If you have any questions regarding this proposal, please feel free to call 509- 536-1200. It is imperative that those who recreational shoot in the Fishtrap Lake Recreation Area make your views known to BLM.
