Lead contamination issues at the Durango Gun Club have sparked what will likely be a multimillion dollar cleanup.
"We believe that levels of lead in the soil may exceed applicable standards," said Megan Graham, spokeswoman for La Plata County.
Gabriel Filippelli, a professor at Indiana University, undertook a study in 2017 with fellow colleagues that looked at more than 30 scientific reviews on the health impacts from lead exposure to people at outdoor gun ranges.
"It's deadly serious," he said.
When contaminated soils dry out, lead can be picked up when the wind blows and then breathed in by people. And even more dangerous is when people shoot and breathe in primer that contains lead.