Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§8423 Range access

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 103— - EXPANDING PUBLIC LANDS OUTDOOR RECREATION EXPERIENCES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - OUTDOOR RECREATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE › Part Part B— - Public Recreation on Federal Recreational Lands and Waters › § 8423

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to make and share a plan for public target shooting ranges. A "target shooting range" means a built and managed place run by those agencies (or their concessioners or lessees) for shooting firearms, training, archery, or similar activities. Within 1 year after January 4, 2025, they must publish a list saying which National Forests and BLM districts already have ranges that meet the rule, which do not, and for those that do not, whether law or the land-use plan stops them from building one. If the law or plan does not block a range, the agencies must pick at least one suitable site, thinking about where people already shoot, avoiding harm to nearby private ranges, and reducing conflicts with other recreation like nearby national park units. By 5 years after January 4, 2025, and depending on available funding, the agencies must build or upgrade at least one qualifying range at each eligible forest or district, or make an agreement with a qualified group to build or run one. A qualifying range must handle rifles and pistols, may include skeet/trap/sporting clay or archery, and must have safety features like berms, buffer distances, and a marked firing line. It can include amenities such as shade, trash cans, restrooms, and benches. The agencies must set safety and resource-protection rules for how ranges are run. Before closing federal lands to recreational shooting (except in emergencies), they should try to make a qualifying or equivalent range available nearby. They must work with States, Tribes, local governments, nonprofits, shooting clubs, advisory councils, and leaseholders, and may seek outside help or funding. A progress report is due 2 years after January 4, 2025 and yearly through fiscal year 2033. The agencies keep their existing authority to run other ranges beyond these.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §8423

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “target shooting range” means a developed and managed area that is authorized or operated by the Forest Service, a concessioner of the Forest Service, or the Bureau of Land Management (or their lessee) specifically for the purposeful discharge by the public of legal firearms, firearms training, archery, or other associated activities.
(b)(1)Not later than 1 year after January 4, 2025, the Secretary concerned shall make available to the public a list that—
(A)identifies each National Forest and each Bureau of Land Management district that has a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in paragraph (3)(B);
(B)identifies each National Forest and each Bureau of Land Management district that does not have a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in paragraph (3)(B); and
(C)for each National Forest and each Bureau of Land Management district identified under subparagraph (B), provides a determination of whether applicable law or the applicable land use plan prevents the establishment of a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in paragraph (3)(B).
(2)(A)The Secretary concerned shall identify at least 1 suitable location for a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in paragraph (3)(B) within each National Forest and each Bureau of Land Management district with respect to which the Secretary concerned has determined under paragraph (1)(C) that the establishment of a target shooting range is not prevented by applicable law or the applicable land use plan.
(B)The Secretaries, in consultation with the entities described in subsection (d), shall, for purposes of identifying a suitable location for a target shooting range under subparagraph (A)—
(i)consider the proximity of areas frequently used by recreational shooters;
(ii)ensure that the target shooting range would not adversely impact a shooting range operated on non-Federal land; and
(iii)consider other nearby recreational uses, including proximity to units of the National Park System, to minimize potential conflict and prioritize visitor safety.
(3)(A)Not later than 5 years after January 4, 2025, at 1 or more suitable locations identified on each eligible National Forest and Bureau of Land Management district under paragraph (2)(A), the Secretary concerned shall—
(i)subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, construct a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in subparagraph (B) or modify an existing target shooting range to meet the requirements described in subparagraph (B); or
(ii)enter into an agreement with an entity described in subsection (d)(1), under which the entity shall establish or maintain a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in subparagraph (B).
(B)A target shooting range established under this paragraph—
(i)(I)shall be able to accommodate rifles and pistols;
(II)may include skeet, trap, or sporting clay infrastructure; and
(III)may accommodate archery;
(ii)shall include appropriate public safety designs and features, including—
(I)significantly modified landscapes, including berms, buffer distances, or other public safety designs or features; and
(II)a designated firing line; and
(iii)may include—
(I)shade structures;
(II)trash containers;
(III)restrooms;
(IV)benches; and
(V)any other features that the Secretary concerned determines to be necessary.
(C)For purposes of subparagraph (A), the Secretary concerned may consider a target shooting range that is located on land transferred or leased pursuant to the Act of June 14, 1926 (commonly known as the “Recreation and Public Purposes Act”) (44 Stat. 741, chapter 578; 43 U.S.C. 869 et seq.), as a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in subparagraph (B).
(c)(1)The management of a target shooting range shall be subject to such conditions as the Secretary concerned determines are necessary for the safe, responsible use of—
(A)the target shooting range; and
(B)the adjacent land and resources.
(2)Except in emergency situations, the Secretary concerned shall seek to ensure that a target shooting range that meets the requirements described in subsection (b)(3)(B), or an equivalent shooting range adjacent to a National Forest or Bureau of Land Management district, is available to the public prior to closing Federal recreational lands and waters administered by the Chief of the Forest Service or the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to recreational shooting, in accordance with section 7913 of this title.
(d)(1)In carrying out this section, the Secretaries shall coordinate with—
(A)State, Tribal, and local governments;
(B)nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations, including organizations that are signatories to the memorandum of understanding entitled “Federal Lands Hunting, Fishing, and Shooting Sports Roundtable Memorandum of Understanding” and signed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management on August 17, 2006;
(C)shooting clubs;
(D)Federal advisory councils relating to hunting and shooting sports; and
(E)individuals or entities with authorized leases or permits in an area under consideration for a target shooting range.
(2)The Secretaries may—
(A)coordinate with an entity described in paragraph (1) to assist with the construction, modification, operation, or maintenance of a target shooting range; and
(B)explore opportunities to leverage funding to maximize non-Federal investment in the construction, modification, operation, or maintenance of a target shooting range.
(e)Not later than 2 years after January 4, 2025, and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2033, the Secretaries shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Representatives a report describing the progress made with respect to the implementation of this section.
(f)Nothing in this section affects the authority of the Secretary concerned to administer a target shooting range that is in addition to the target shooting ranges that meet the requirements described in subsection (b)(3)(B) on Federal recreational lands and waters administered by the Secretary concerned.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 8423

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73