Sacramento Must Do More Lead Testing At Closed Mangan Gun Range

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – City leaders have been ordered to conduct more testing for toxic lead at a city park gun range and get it cleaned up.

The Mangan Park Gun Range has been closed since December 2014 with lead found 400 times higher than health standards.

"Why the city hasn't done anything with it, they obviously were aware of it or they wouldn't have closed down," said Kathy Boychuk who grew up around the corner from the gun range. "We could hear them shooting, never thought about the lead.

Boychuk like many neighbors in the area now have grave concerns.

"Why did you wait for it to become so toxic that even the neighborhood is being polluted by it? That's just ridiculous and I think it's unnecessary," she said.

The city is well aware of it now, especially with an order from the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department that the lead contamination exceeds the state standards for lead.

"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?" asked somebody at a town hall meeting last week.

City leaders said lead was found on the roof and close to the building, but no toxic levels around the park according to their initial tests.

According to the notice of corrective action, the city must take more samples in and around the park for toxic lead. If those levels exceed hazardous standards, they may have to increase the fence line around the gun range.

Ultimately they'll have to provide a plan of action on how to make it safe.

Something neighbors say should've been done long ago.

"If they have levels that high they need to clean it up. I'm surprised they weren't doing it on a regular basis," said Boychuk.