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My employer used to have an outdoor pistol shooting range but it was closed down (basically abandoned in place) by prior gun hating management. I am trying to get our current management (gun loving) to allow us to re-open the range. I know my employer does not want to pay to remove all the lead in the dirt from when it was open before. But, I am wondering if there would be any other issues involving permits from the govt etc. if we were to re-open it. It is a private range so there would be no public access, only used for employees and probably local LE. Anybody know of any requirements for opening a private gun range?

I wish you the best of luck in getting it re-opened.

The only State Statute I could find was LGC 250.001: RESTRICTION ON REGULATION OF SPORT SHOOTING RANGES.
(a) In this section, "sport shooting range" means a business establishment, private club, or association that operates
an area for the discharge or other use of firearms for silhouette, skeet, trap, black powder, target, self-defense, or similar
recreational shooting.
b) A governmental official may not seek a civil or criminal penalty against a sport shooting range or its owner or operator
based on the violation of a municipal or county ordinance, order, or rule regulating noise:
(1) if the sport shooting range is in compliance with the applicable ordinance, order, or rule; or
(2) if no applicable noise ordinance, order, or rule exists.
(c) A person may not bring a nuisance or similar cause of action against a sport shooting range based on noise:
(1) if the sport shooting range is in compliance with all applicable municipal and county ordinances, orders, and rules
regulating noise; or
(2) if no applicable noise ordinance, order, or rule exists.

It would appear that the only restrictions would be placed upon it by city ordinance where the range is located. Call or go by the Zoning Department for particulars.

A more important issue for the company is Liability insurance, cost and if the insurance carriier wants the exposer, also what they would require, Its somtimes more than the state or municipality requires and would be a good place to start.

If the property is private and outside the city limits shoot on my friend.

Thanks for the help.

Actually, you might have hit on point point very few of us consider, and that is the hazardous waste disposal and clean-up. If the range was previously used, then there is lead in the dirt surrounding it. Lead is a hazardous material thta needs to be cleaned up and disposed of properly. The EPA and TCEQ will have very strict limits for cleaning this up.

I definitely have very little knowledge of this field, but you might check on the clean up costs now versus continuing to use it and cleaning later. I don't think the EPA or TCEQ will make you clean it up until there is a problem from the lead leaching into someone's water or something similar OR until there is a change in ownership of the land. Other than knowing what any reasonably well read citizen knows about the EPA, that is about the extent of my hazmat remediation knowledge. A little research will let you know, and you might have the argument that it is cheaper to let it be used than to have to clean it up.

I don't think I have ever heard of an outdoor range being shut down or forced into cleanup, but I have seen a couple indoor ranges shut down due to airborne lead exposure (San Antonio PD had a range in the basement of their headquarters until the mid-80's and lost it for this reason).

As for the lead cleanup, having been "in place" for a while, I would think that it would be easy enough to scoop and sift the existing berms.

I'm sure some of the dedicated bullet-casters on this forum would be willing to pitch in on a project like that--I know I would.

Of course, the EPA may have other ideas. I've heard of EPA getting involved in an indoor environment, but I've never heard anything about outdoor environments.

there are companies that specialize in cleanup

DFWGun has range cleanup trailers out back - cant remember the company name but I think its an associated company

They could likely give you some info

Not only are there specialized outfits that specialize in cleaning up ranges, the price of scrap metal has produced a new industry: outfits that pay you to let them clean your berm in exchange for keeping what they find.

"Indoor" is a kiss of death when it comes to ranges, because of the air filtration requirements from EPA and OSHA. I wouldn't be surprised to find it's a better return on investment (ROI) to have a range that is technically open air, yet baffled for sound and bullet containment purposes, and also relatively comfortable for the shooters. I'd suggest a big overhead covering that is heavily insulated against radiant solar heat, has fans for the shooters, and has either cold air ducts or radiant heaters (depending on the season). I'd probably also use a backstop made of a ground rubber berm, so the metals can be easily recycled.

Instead of thinking such a range would be a "loophole", I actually think it would be safer for overall long-term health.