Falmouth Select Board Has Concerns For Proposed Machine Gun Range

FALMOUTH, MA — Joint Base Cape Cod has submitted a proposal for a machine gun range at Camp Edwards for the Massachusetts Army National Guard. But members of the Falmouth Select Board have concerns because they hadn't found out about the proposal until recently.

The $11 million firing range would expand an existing range at the base. Constructing it requires clearing more than 170 acres of forest to accommodate the range footprint, lighting, facilities, road maintenance and more.

Select Board members said they want to meet with representatives from Joint Base Cape Cod and hold a public forum before the project proceeds. Board member Douglas Brown and other members said they were worried because they felt they were kept in the dark on the plan that Joint Base Cape Cod started developing and were not told about it until now.

"In reading the information provided in our packet, it is kind of concerning to me that this review and this process has been going on for two to three years," Brown said at Monday's select board meeting "We have the base leaders come out to us every year and give us an update. It is unfortunate we had to find this out in a clip in the newspaper instead of in, at least, a letter to us."

In Aug. 31, Town Manager Julian Suso said he sent a letter to the Keith Driscoll from the Massachusetts National Guard. The letter was sent on behalf of Board Chair Megan English Braga and Brown.

In the letter, town officials asked the National Guard to extend its public comment period for an additional 30 days and allow more opportunity for public discussion. The Select Board also said its received several emails from residents worried about the environmental impact of the range, particularly because the proposed range would be within the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve, an important water source for Falmouth.

A few months back, the National Guard released an environmental report on the project and said it would not have any significant environmental impacts.

At Monday's meeting, Suso read the response to the letter from Commander Matthew Porter, of the Massachusetts Army National Guard at Camp Edwards. The board had asked him or another representative to attend the meeting, but no one was able to make it.

"We will be presenting and distributing a robust information product in the next few weeks that will answer the relevant questions we have received regarding our range project," Porter wrote. "We understand the eagerness to discuss this project, but we want to be sure we capture all the important questions and answer them in a thoughtful and succinct manner."

Suso said while the board awaits this information, it will continue to encourage a public forum be held. Considering how far along the project is, Brown said it might be necessary to intervene with legal action. English Braga added the town could reach out to its state representatives to encourage more public discussion.