Lead Reclamation Project 2016

Update 7/21/16:
The crew has finished their work and are now in the process of replacing all of the soil and removing their equipment from the archery range. This is expected to continue through the weekend and they estimate they’ll be completely gone by early next week.

Update 7/15/16:
The lead reclaimation crew said that having the trap fields open as normal for GLTL matches Tuesday and Wednesday nights is no problem, and trap and skeet will also be open as normal on Sundays at 1pm. Ranges are likely to be closed at all other times, to give the crews the opportunity to work as quickly as they can. They expect to be done with the work by the end of July, depending on weather.

Here’s a photo of the reclaimed lead shot. Each of the white bags along the drive is about 3000 pounds, and the crew says they’re processing about one bag an hour.

Reclaimed Lead Shot – click for larger image

Original Post:
As you know we have been in discussions with lead reclamation contractor Gipson-Ricketts for close to a year to arrange to have them come to reclaim the lead from some of our ranges. They have been working in the area this summer and Charlie O’Donnell has been working with them to coordinate this project. They are based in Missouri and their crew travels around the country doing this work and they have been working here in our area this spring/summer. This is something that we need to do as part of our lead stewardship plan. It will be done at no cost to the club, and LSC gets a cut of whatever profits are made on the sale of the recovered lead.

We got word just the other day that they will be wrapping up their project at the N. Leominster club and could be available to come to LSC next. This was reviewed with the e-board and approved and they have been given the go ahead to start as soon as they are able.

This will primarily cause a disruption on our outdoor archery field, as that is where they will be setting up their screening equipment to process the material. The project is expected to take 2-3 weeks so during that time that field will be unavailable. They will be working in the shot-fall areas of the main trap field, skeet/trap field, and possibly the OLD .22 backstop. The trap and skeet fields and the associated shot-fall areas, and the .22 range will be affected only when they are working on those fields. The contractor is willing to work with us to adjust their workflow to minimize disruptions to our normal activities.

They will begin moving equipment to our property as early as this weekend and will likely be starting work this week.