EPA Fines Baltimore County Police Over Environmental Damage At Timonium Firing Range

TIMONIUM - The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a fine of $15,800 to be paid by the Baltimore County Police Department.

The EPA announced that it discovered issues with handling spent lead bullets at the Timonium firing range. According to the agency, there were “hazardous waste violations associated with the improper management of lead-contaminated soil.”

The small firing range borders Loch Raven reservoir at 2001 Dulaney Valley road and is primarily used by Baltimore County Police to practice with handguns using copper and lead alloy bullets. Residents can frequently hear the sounds of gunfire from this range in Towson and the surrounding area.

Lead contamination can be dangerous to the surrounding wildlife and people. According to the EPA, their efforts to reduce lead contamination have been effective.

“EPA efforts to reduce lead exposure have contributed to blood lead levels in U.S. children steadily dropping over the past four decades.”

The EPA is citing the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the federal law governing the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. One of the main goals of the RCRA is to prevent lengthy and costly cleanups of improperly managed hazardous waste.

Other violations claimed by the EPA include: “operation of a hazardous waste management facility without a permit, failure to provide hazardous waste management training to staff, failure to provide hazardous waste responsibilities in written job descriptions, and failure to have a hazardous waste contingency plan.”