I have been out of the shooting/ar15 loop for awhile ( kids and job will do that to you), and just now getting back in.  One of my favorite things to do was going to the Buffalo Range in Ottawa to use the range and blast away at the pit.

I've been hearing alot of rumors regarding Buffalo:

Feds/EPA  closed them down
Land sold for redevelopment
Had to close temporarily while construction behind range continues
etc,. etc.

Does anyone have the straight poop on Buffalo?
Is it closed? For good?
If open-or opening-, will the pit still be around?

TIA,
Alex

It SHOULD be open in November.  It is closed due to and EPA cleanup.  CK Morely is the expert around here on what is going on- hopefully he can post in more detail.

Dawg

Expert ? Me ?

I just did some web searching one day and came up with this summation:

The Illinois EPA asked Buffalo to close while they (IL_EPA) cleaned up the adjacent property, which was a garbage dump in the 1970's which took in some illegal industrial waste. The Range was closed because of alleged safety concerns regarding gunfire that might endanger workers and equipment involved in the cleanup.

Buffalo Range signed a "Consent Decree" with the Illinois Attorney General's office giving them (the AG) control over when Buffalo can re-open. The IL_EPA is done with the work, according to the owners of Buffalo Range, but the AG won't give them permission to open until November 30th. I belive the November 30th date was determined by original timetable from the IL_EPA, and/or to allow for a period of monitoring after the work was completed to insure the landfill site was no longer leaking waste into the groundwater.

Numerous calls by Illinois arfcommers could not influence thed IL-AG to reconsider the 11-30-04 date.

CKMorley

PS:  The owners of BR used the down time to rebuild the berms, etc. The IL_EPA also cleaned out The Pit and lined it with gravel, according to my last call out there a few weeks ago. So we should have cool place to blast when they reopen.

http://www.epa.state.il.us/news-releases/2003/2003-089-ottawa-consent-orders.html

State Enters Consent Orders for Ottawa Landfill

Will Secure Remediation, Cost Reimbursement, Future Use of Property and Access to Perform Work
For Immediate Release
October 27, 2003

Illinois Attorney General Contact: Melissa Merz
312-814-2518
877-844-5461 (TTY)

Springfield, Ill. -- Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced the entry of two consent orders on October 24, 2003, in LaSalle County Circuit Court concerning the Brockman I landfill, located three miles southwest of Ottawa.

The consent orders are entered jointly with the LaSalle County State's Attorney. The first consent order is with 19 corporations that sent waste to the landfill. The second is with Evelyn Muffler and Elsbeth Fullmer; Muffler operates a gun range adjacent to the landfill and Fullmer owns the property on which the landfill is located.

Brockman I is an 18-acre inactive landfill near Ottawa that had previously been strip-mined. Between 1970 and 1979, the landfill was operated by Wilmer Brockman, Jr., and accepted a wide range of hazardous and non-hazardous waste from industrial and municipal sources. Waste included paint and plating sludges, organic solvents and cyanides.

Illinois EPA records show a history of mismanagement at the site, and the landfill was not properly capped and closed when it ceased operations in 1979. Without proper cover, melting snow and rain enters the landfill, washing contaminants from the waste into the groundwater below.

In the first consent order, 19 parties agreed to remediate the landfill by constructing a multi-layer cap over the landfill, implementing surface water and sediment controls, installing a passive landfill gas venting system, and performing maintenance of the cap for ten years and groundwater monitoring for 15 years. The 19 settling parties will also reimburse the state for past costs and future oversight costs.

In the second order, Muffler and Fullmer agreed to give access for the work described in the first consent order. In addition, Fullmer, who owns the property on which the landfill is located, agreed to deed restrictions and institutional controls which restrict activity on the landfill to protect the cap. These restrictions will include the prohibition constructing anything on the landfill and of installing, maintaining or operating wells or a water system at the landfill, with the exception of monitoring wells. Muffler also agreed to cease operation of the gun range while the work is being conducted. When the cap is finished, Muffler agrees to operate the gun range in a manner that does not threaten the integrity of the remedy.

The landfill cap should be stable after the first five years, but the settling parties will continue to provide cap maintenance for an additional five years. The Illinois EPA will also monitor the cap during and after the 10-year period.

While private wells in the area are not in the path of the groundwater flowing out of Brockman I, the consent decree requires responsible parties to inspect monitoring wells for 15 years to evaluate ongoing conditions.

Some work may begin this year, but the cap will probably be constructed in the spring of 2004, then vegetated and seeded in the fall of 2004. Construction of the cap and the gas ventilation system will be completed in 2004.

Thank you Dawg & CK.

I guess I will be doing some cold weather shooting in the near future!

Alex

11-30-04,
Do you think they will be open in december for shooting? They usually close the 15th of november. I would definately be up for a winter shoot! (damn I miss that place) McMiller isn't the same

The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter.

CKMorley

I prefer to shoot when it's cold ! !      Cross your fingers ! ! !

Quoted: I prefer to shoot any time i can!      Cross your barrels ! ! !

i fixed it for you

Thanks TB..........That's what I mean't...............      

Cold weather...no big deal.

Thats what hats, gloves, and saran wrap are for

Quoted: Cold weather...no big deal. Thats what hats, gloves, and saran wrap are for

sounds like you are bringing your girlfriend

Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley

Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year!

Quoted: Quoted: Cold weather...no big deal. Thats what hats, gloves, and saran wrap are for sounds like you are bringing your girlfriend

Haha, don't have one anymore.

The last message on the machine said that they would hear from epa on Oct.12 .

Quoted: The last message on the machine said that they would hear from epa on Oct.12 .

Crossing fingers (and barrels).
I've got new rifles I have to abuse.


CKMorley

Quoted: I prefer to shoot when it's cold ! !      Cross your fingers ! ! !

I love the cold

Quoted: Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year!

Screw it Dawg, I'm a Carpenter, have a truck, more tools than we'd ever need, let's build it for them.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year! Screw it Dawg, I'm a Carpenter, have a truck, more tools than we'd ever need, let's build it for them.

CK, I mean

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year! Screw it Dawg, I'm a Carpenter, have a truck, more tools than we'd ever need, let's build it for them.

guardrails in exchange for free lifetime membership for you and me? Think they would go for it?

btt

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year! Screw it Dawg, I'm a Carpenter, have a truck, more tools than we'd ever need, let's build it for them. guardrails in exchange for free lifetime membership for you and me? Think they would go for it?

Sounds fair to me. But I need CK and Snojet on the crew too Dawg. Lifetime membership for us four. I'd even be willing to build a nice wooden bridge across the pond. If we put some heating coils underneath the bridge decking, it would never freeze!!!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year! Screw it Dawg, I'm a Carpenter, have a truck, more tools than we'd ever need, let's build it for them. guardrails in exchange for free lifetime membership for you and me? Think they would go for it? Sounds fair to me. But I need CK and Snojet on the crew too Dawg. Lifetime membership for us four. I'd even be willing to build a nice wooden bridge across the pond. If we put some heating coils underneath the bridge decking, it would never freeze!!!

damn might as well make it a covered bridge

I'm in ! !    I've built a few bridges before...........no shit ! !  Real bridges ! !

I don't think I'd be too useful building anything.
I'm open to splitting the funding if BR goes for the idea.
I could haul lumber in my Cherokee.
Or, I could pretend to be a Chgo City employee.
I'll bring a lawnchair and watch. Or better yet, I'll check on your progress
via cellphone from the Lamplighter .

When BR reopens we need to propose this idea. Staying open all winter will
help BR's owner to recover from the lost revenue of being closed since April.

CKMorley

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: The owners of BR have told me in the past that they keep the range open until the snow gets too deep to safely drive across the pond. Hopefully they'll stay open later this year. If they'd put guard rails up on the "bridge" across the pond it qouldn't be an issue. Alot of us have 4WD, and would happily shoot all winter. CKMorley Maybe we should get a fund together to buy guardrails if they will keep it open 52 weeks a year! Screw it Dawg, I'm a Carpenter, have a truck, more tools than we'd ever need, let's build it for them. guardrails in exchange for free lifetime membership for you and me? Think they would go for it? Sounds fair to me. But I need CK and Snojet on the crew too Dawg. Lifetime membership for us four. I'd even be willing to build a nice wooden bridge across the pond. If we put some heating coils underneath the bridge decking, it would never freeze!!! damn might as well make it a covered bridge

I'm with ya Bob. CK can supervise. Me Bob and Snojet could build this bad boy. Anyone have a pop up? A weekend should do it. Some simple footings should do it.