Update: Local officials in Maine reject gun range lease because of NRA affiliation

By Christen Smith

After two years of negotiation, Standish Town Council voted down a lease proposal for a local gun range, in part, because of its affiliation with the National Rifle Association.(Photo: Standish Fish and Game Club/Facebook)
Officials in Standish, Maine rejected a lease proposal Tuesday for a local sportsman’s club hoping to operate a gun range on town-owned land.
Council members voted down the Standish Fish and Game Club’s proposal to lease approximately 150 acres of public land for its gun range at a price of $1 annually for 25 years. The deal, more than two years in the making, hit a snag in September when some residents learned the club requires its members join the National Rifle Association and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.
David Trahan, SAM’s executive director, told Guns.com Wednesday groups often require memberships with other organizations, particularly the NRA, to access grants and other resources necessary to build and operate a safe gun range. He said the alliance doesn’t force a membership clause in exchange for assistance — it was the Standish Fish and Game Club’s decision alone.
“We never asked for it,” he said. “We do have the resources to do it right. A lot of these clubs are run by

Source: Guns.com