Toxic Lead Levels From South Sacramento Gun Range Draw Community Outrage
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — After hand delivering more than 600 letters to neighbors in Mangan Park over the growing lead concerns, residents expressed their fears to and city leaders.
"Have you done anything to see what the lead levels are inside the building and what it's going to take to get that cleaned up? Or are you just going to shut it down?" a resident asked officials.
The gun range was built in the 1960s and shut down in December 2014 after toxic levels of lead were found 400 times higher than what the state considers a hazard. Now many fear that lead is in and around their neighborhood.
"It's kind of scary," said one parent.
Tony Lozoya for years lived directly across from the Mangan Gun Range and now fears what that lead poisoning could've done to his family.
"It said all of these areas were contaminated and I lived on the corner there," he said.
City leaders took samples from the playground, the pool area, and soccer fields and the only high levels of lead that were found were from behind the fence that now surrounds the gun range building.
"The data showed that immediately adjacent to the building where you expected it to be, the concentrations were higher and as you got farther from the building the concentrations were lower," said Charlie Ridenour, Branch Chief of the CA Department of Toxic Substance Control. "It was consistent with the model that lead doesn't go very far,"
Neighbors like Lozoya said there should have been something done sooner, but will accept that the city is at least taking care of it now.
"I don't know what's wrong with me or what I've suffered, but for all the little guys around, I wish they would do the right things and fix it," he said.
Councilman Jay Schenirer said the city is prioritizing the clean up efforts and they will be ordering more samples taken in the area to help neighbors have a peace of mind to make sure it's safe in the park.
The discussion continues about long-term plans, considering it could cost millions to clean up or demolish the building
