[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 135 (Thursday, October 1, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11286-S11287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 123--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS 
REGARDING THE POLICY OF THE FOREST SERVICE TOWARD RECREATIONAL SHOOTING 
                   AND ARCHERY RANGES ON FEDERAL LAND

  Mr. McCain (for himself, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Craig, and Mr. Lott) submitted 
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

                              S. Con. 123

       Whereas the Forest Service is developing a national policy 
     to guide its management of existing and proposed shooting and 
     archery ranges on national forest land;
       Whereas when managed appropriately, firearm and archery 
     sports are a legitimate use of national forest land;
       Whereas the Forest Service has proceeded with closure 
     actions of recreational shooting ranges on Forest Service 
     land without prior notification to Congress or the general 
     public;
       Whereas on March 10, 1997, the Forest Service suspended the 
     special-use permit of the Tucson Rod and Gun Club located in 
     the Coronado National Forest near Tucson, Arizona; and
       Whereas the Forest Service is evaluating alternative sites 
     in the Coronado National Forest that could be used by the 
     Tucson Rod and Gun Club for firearm and archery sports, the 
     Secretary of Agriculture has directed the expeditious 
     completion of the environmental assessment, and the Forest 
     Service has committed to notify Congress of its decision by 
     November 20, 1998: Now, therefore, be it

[[Page S11287]]

       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING PUBLIC RECREATIONAL 
                   AND MULTI-PURPOSE USE OF UNITED STATES FOREST 
                   SERVICE LAND.

       It is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the Forest Service should not close shooting or archery 
     facilities without prior notification to Congress and the 
     general public unless there is an immediate threat to public 
     safety;
       (2) notification to Congress of any plan for closure of a 
     shooting or archery facility should include the reasons for 
     the closure, including any potential for imminent public 
     safety endangerment;
       (3) the Forest Service should avoid unreasonable 
     restrictions in the issuance of special-use permits for 
     firearm and archery sports facilities;
       (4) the Forest Service should fully evaluate alternative 
     sites in the Coronado National Forest and provide, to the 
     extent consistent with the environmental assessment, a 
     reasonable alternative that would allow the Tucson Rod and 
     Gun Club to quickly open a safe facility for firearm and 
     archery sports; and
       (5) the Forest Service should adhere to its deadline of 
     November 20, 1998, for a decision on a site for the Tucson 
     Rod and Gun Club.

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today I submit a resolution that is of 
tremendous importance to me and many of my constituents back in 
Arizona. This resolution expresses the Sense of the Congress that 
firearm and archery sports are a recognized recreational opportunity 
for the general public and a legitimate use of public land. The 
availability of public land for such activities is especially important 
in western states, such as Arizona, where a very large percentage of 
the land is public land.
  Mr. President, given that there is little private land in Arizona 
that is available for such activities, I believe it is crucial that the 
Forest Service support the continuation of firearm and archery sports 
on national forest lands.
  Mr. President, the Tucson Rod and Gun Club operated a shooting and 
archery range in the Coronado National Forest for almost 45 years and 
had an exemplary safety record during that time. When opened, it was 
miles from the nearest developed area, but the City of Tucson has 
spread to the very edge of the forest, and houses and schools are now 
within a short distance from the existing shooting range. The Club's 
special use permit was temporarily suspended on March 10, 1997 after a 
Forest Service report concluded that the range may pose a hazard to the 
homeowners in the vicinity and to visitors to the Sabino Canyon area. 
The Club as well as the Congressional delegation has asked the Forest 
Service to assist in searching for an alternate site for their 
facility.
  Mr. President, despite assurances by the Secretary of Agriculture and 
by the Forest Service that the Club's request would be dealt with in an 
expeditious manner, it is now more than eighteen months since the range 
was closed, and shooters in Tucson still do not have a reasonably 
close, organized, and safe place for recreational firearm sports. At 
the delegation's urging, the Secretary of Agriculture directed the 
Forest Service to look at the proposed alternative sites and issue a 
decision on a selected site for these activities by November 1998. The 
local Forest Supervisor has pledged to issue a final decision in this 
matter by November 20, 1998, and has further agreed that once this 
decision is rendered, no further public comments will be solicited, nor 
will additional environmental analysis be required by the Department of 
Agriculture or the Forest Service. I expect the Forest Supervisor to 
abide by this understanding.
  Mr. President, let me make clear that it is not my intent in offering 
this resolution, to override the Forest Service's normal planning 
process or existing laws. I know there are others in this body with 
similar concerns about retaining multiple use policies of the Forest 
Service. The intent in the resolution is that the Forest Service should 
support shooting and archery ranges on public land as one of the many 
public uses of public lands and should strive to find a suitable 
alternative location for the Tucson Rod and Gun Club.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I concur with everything the senior Senator 
from my state has just said. I would like to add that I find it 
inconceivable that the Forest Service could determine that it cannot 
identify approximately 20 acres of land on the entire Santa Catalina 
ranger district of the Coranado National Forest that is both suitable 
for a shooting range and readily accessible to the members of the Club. 
I expect that a suitable location will be found and that the Forest 
Service will work with the club in good faith to agree on a plan to 
open a facility.
  Mr. President, I would also like to thank Representative Kolbe for 
his leadership and hard work on this issue.
  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I join with my Arizona colleague in 
applauding the efforts of our colleague in the House, Representative 
Kolbe, to resolve this issue.

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