Southwestern Community College is gearing up for some soil testing following a meeting with Robin Proctor, environmental chemist with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, on Tuesday. SCC had taken the initiative to call the meeting as plans to improve its shooting range brought up the fact that an estimated 60 tons of lead shot have accumulated in the range’s clay berm in the 30 years it’s been in use. 

It’s been three decades since the shooting range now operated by Southwestern Community College first opened, and the college is hoping for some money to address issues that have been mounting since then.

All loaded up and no place to shoot — such is the plight of gun owners in Macon County, especially when its raining or snowing outside. That’s because the closest indoor shooting range to Franklin is as far as Asheville or Brevard.

The U.S. Forest Service has backed off a proposed shooting range in Clay County following public opposition.

The forest service planned to build a new shooting range near Perry Creek in the Nantahala National Forest, but the site has been challenged by 13 separate appeals. Appeals cited noise, increased traffic and associated dust on access roads.

The Forest Service had looked at several possible sites for a new shooting range. An acoustical analysis contracted by the forest service showed noise impacts for neighbors would be minimal.

However, Tusquitee District Ranger Steve Lohr has now called for additional analysis and will announce a new decision on whether to go through