CONTACT: Mr. Eric Durr 518-786-4581 or (cell) 518-429-5186

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Jan 29, 2009

YOUNGSTOWN, NY (01/28/2009)-- The New York National Guard plans to install a new automated rifle range at the 840 acre Youngstown Weekend Training Site in Niagara County, and upgrade the existing rifle range. The work is part of the New York National Guard's Range Complex Master Plan. The plan calls for building a new rifle range with pop-up targets that would allow National Guard and Army Reserve units to qualify with their weapons without traveling to Fort Drum or other active duty Army posts. The new range would be constructed in 2012. An existing 25-meter rifle range, which does not meet current Army standards, would be rebuilt in 2010. The range is called a 25-meter range because the paper targets are 25 meters away from the firers. The training area is 35 miles north of Buffalo and 45 miles west of Rochester. Poliec agencies also use the range facilities. As required by law the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs has prepared a draft environmental assessment which addresses the environmental impact of range construction at Youngstown Weekend Training Site, as well as at training sites near Peekskill and Albany where the National Guard is also planning to upgrade training facilities The assessment is available at the Youngstown Free Library, or it can be downloaded from the Division of Military and Naval Affairs website at http://dmna.ny.gov/NYARNG_DEA.pdf. A 30-day comment period will begin on February 8, 2009. Anyone interested in commenting on this Draft Environmental Assessment is encouraged to forward comments to Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo, ATTN: MNPA, NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY 12110. Comments will be forwarded to the National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC.