I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1614 

To facilitate the creation of designated shooting ranges on National Forest 

System land and public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management for the public to use for recreational target shooting, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2023 

Mr. MOORE of Utah (for himself and Mr. PANETTA) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 

addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently 

determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To facilitate the creation of designated shooting ranges on 

National Forest System land and public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management for the public 

to use for recreational target shooting, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Range Access Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. TARGET SHOOTING RANGES. 

2 (a) DEFINITION OF TARGET SHOOTING RANGE.—In 

3 this section, the term ‘‘target shooting range’’ means a 

4 developed and managed area that is authorized or oper5 ated by the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Manage6 ment specifically for the purposeful discharge by the public 

7 of legal firearms, firearms training, archery, or other asso8 ciated activities. 

9 (b) ASSESSMENT; IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET

10 SHOOTING RANGE LOCATIONS.— 

11 (1) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 

12 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary con13 cerned shall make available to the public a list 

14 that— 

15 (A) identifies each National Forest and 

16 each Bureau of Land Management district that 

17 has a target shooting range that meets the re18 quirements described in paragraph (3)(B); 

19 (B) identifies each National Forest and 

20 each Bureau of Land Management district that 

21 does not have a target shooting range that 

22 meets the requirements described in paragraph 

23 (3)(B); and 

24 (C) for each National Forest and each Bu25 reau of Land Management district identified 

26 under subparagraph (B), provides a determinaVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Mar 29, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1614.IH H1614

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1 tion of whether applicable law or the applicable 

2 land use plan prevents the establishment of a 

3 target shooting range that meets the require4 ments described in paragraph (3)(B). 

5 (2) IDENTIFICATION OF TARGET SHOOTING

6 RANGE LOCATIONS.— 

7 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary con8 cerned shall identify at least 1 suitable location 

9 for a target shooting range that meets the re10 quirements described in paragraph (3)(B) with11 in each National Forest and each Bureau of 

12 Land Management district with respect to 

13 which the Secretary concerned has determined 

14 under paragraph (1)(C) that the establishment 

15 of a target shooting range is not prevented by 

16 applicable law or the applicable land use plan. 

17 (B) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretaries, in 

18 consultation with the entities described in sub19 section (d), shall, for purposes of identifying a 

20 suitable location for a target shooting range 

21 under subparagraph (A)— 

22 (i) consider the proximity of areas fre23 quently used by recreational shooters; 

24 (ii) ensure that the target shooting 

25 range would not adversely impact a shootVerDate Sep 11 2014 06:03 Mar 29, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1614.IH H1614

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1 ing range operated or maintained by a 

2 non-Federal entity, including a shooting 

3 range located on private land; and 

4 (iii) consider other nearby recreational 

5 uses to minimize potential conflict. 

6 (3) ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW TARGET SHOOT7 ING RANGES.— 

8 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 5 years 

9 after the date of enactment of this Act, at 1 or 

10 more suitable locations identified on each eligi11 ble National Forest and each Bureau of Land 

12 Management district under paragraph (2)(A), 

13 the Secretary concerned shall— 

14 (i) subject to the availability of appro15 priations, construct a target shooting 

16 range that meets the requirements de17 scribed in subparagraph (B) or modify an 

18 existing target shooting range to meet the 

19 requirements described in subparagraph 

20 (B); or 

21 (ii) enter into an agreement with an 

22 entity described in subsection (d)(1), under 

23 which the entity shall establish or maintain 

24 a target shooting range that meets the re25 quirements described in subparagraph (B). 


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1 (B) REQUIREMENTS.—A target shooting 

2 range established under this paragraph— 

3 (i)(I) shall be able to accommodate ri4 fles, pistols, and shotguns; and 

5 (II) may accommodate archery; 

6 (ii) shall include appropriate public 

7 safety designs and features, including— 

8 (I) significantly modified land9 scapes, including berms, buffer dis10 tances, or other public safety designs 

11 or features; 

12 (II) a designated firing line; and 

13 (III) benches; 

14 (iii) may include— 

15 (I) shade structures; 

16 (II) trash containers; 

17 (III) restrooms; and 

18 (IV) any other features that the 

19 Secretary concerned determines to be 

20 necessary; and 

21 (iv) may not require a user to pay a 

22 fee to use the target shooting range. 

23 (C) RECREATION AND PUBLIC PURPOSES

24 ACT.—For purposes of subparagraph (A), the 

25 Secretary concerned may consider a target 


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1 shooting range that is located on land trans2 ferred pursuant to the Act of June 14, 1926 

3 (commonly known as the ‘‘Recreation and Pub4 lic Purposes Act’’) (44 Stat. 741, chapter 578; 

5 43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), as a target shooting 

6 range that meets the requirements described in 

7 subparagraph (B). 

8 (c) RESTRICTIONS.— 

9 (1) MANAGEMENT.—The management of a tar10 get shooting range shall be subject to such condi11 tions as the Secretary concerned determines are nec12 essary for the safe, responsible use of— 

13 (A) the target shooting range; and 

14 (B) the adjacent land and resources. 

15 (2) CLOSURES.—Except in emergency situa16 tions, the Secretary concerned shall seek to ensure 

17 that a target shooting range that meets the require18 ments described in subsection (b)(3)(B), or an 

19 equivalent shooting range adjacent to a National 

20 Forest or Bureau of Land Management district, is 

21 available to the public prior to closing Federal rec22 reational lands and waters administered by the Chief 

23 of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau 

24 of Land Management to recreational shooting, in ac25 cordance with section 4103 of the John D. Dingell, 


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1 Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act 

2 (16 U.S.C. 7913). 

3 (d) CONSULTATIONS.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this section, 

5 the Secretaries shall consult, as applicable, with— 

6 (A) local and Tribal governments; 

7 (B) nonprofit or nongovernmental organi8 zations, including organizations that are sig9 natories to the memorandum of understanding 

10 entitled ‘‘Federal Lands Hunting, Fishing, and 

11 Shooting Sports Roundtable Memorandum of 

12 Understanding’’ and signed by the Forest Serv13 ice and the Bureau of Land Management on 

14 August 17, 2006; 

15 (C) State fish and wildlife agencies; 

16 (D) shooting clubs; 

17 (E) Federal advisory councils relating to 

18 hunting and shooting sports; 

19 (F) individuals or entities with authorized 

20 leases or permits in an area under consideration 

21 for a target shooting range; 

22 (G) State and local offices of outdoor 

23 recreation; 

24 (H) State and local public safety agencies; 

25 and 


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1 (I) the public. 

2 (2) PARTNERSHIPS.—The Secretaries may— 

3 (A) coordinate with an entity described in 

4 paragraph (1) to assist with the construction, 

5 modification, operation, or maintenance of a 

6 target shooting range; and 

7 (B) explore opportunities to leverage fund8 ing to maximize non-Federal investment in the 

9 construction, modification, operation, or main10 tenance of a target shooting range. 

11 (e) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 1 year after 

12 the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter 

13 through fiscal year 2033, the Secretaries shall submit to 

14 the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the 

15 Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the 

16 House of Representatives a report describing the progress 

17 made with respect to the implementation of this section. 

18 (f) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section affects 

19 the authority of the Secretary concerned to administer a 

20 target shooting range that is in addition to the target 

21 shooting ranges that meet the requirements described in 

22 subsection (b)(3)(B) on Federal recreational lands and 

23 waters administered by the Secretary concerned. 

Æ 


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