EPA: Machine Gun Range Could Harm Cape Cod Drinking Water

CBS Boston

April 28, 2023

BOSTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a draft determination Thursday that a proposed machine gun training range at a National Guard base could pose a threat to Cape Cod's drinking water, potentially creating a public health hazard for more than 220,000 year-round residents.

There are no reasonably available alternative drinking water sources for residents should the Cape Cod aquifer become contaminated, the agency said.

"We have studied the proposed machine gun range very carefully because EPA recognizes the need for our armed forces to maintain readiness and provide training to service members," EPA Regional Administrator David Cash said in a written statement. "However, the risk of irreparable damage to the only drinking water source on Cape Cod is too significant," he added.

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