Permit procedures for shooting ranges to be streamlined – Legislative proposal opens for public consultation
The Ministry of the Interior invites comments on proposed amendments to the Act on Shooting Ranges and the Environmental Protection Act. In line with the Government Programme, the aim is to simplify the environmental permit processes and legislation concerning shooting ranges. The public consultation remains open until 23 December 2025.
The Government aims to safeguard the activities of Finland’s existing shooting ranges and promote the establishment of new shooting ranges. The proposal includes amendments to both the Act on Shooting Ranges and the Environmental Protection Act. In addition to provisions ensuring user safety at shooting ranges, the Act on Shooting Ranges would include environmental protection provisions on soil and groundwater protection and noise abatement.
The permit process would become more streamlined. Since the shooting range permit and notification would cover both safety and environmental matters, only one application or notification would be required. A single authority, the National Police Board, would handle all permit and notification matters related to shooting ranges.
Responsibility for processing and controlling the environmental permits and the notifications for shooting ranges, currently handled mainly by municipalities, would be transferred to the police. The police would act as the supervisory authority. A single process for handling the applications would reduce the administrative burden on applicants, ensure consistent decisions, and make the permit process more predictable.
Clarifying the regulation on shooting ranges
The Act on Shooting Ranges would include similar prohibitions on soil and groundwater pollution as the Environmental Protection Act. Noise levels would need to stay below the statutory guideline values. Shooting ranges would still be subject to the general principles and prohibitions of the Environmental Protection Act, even though the Act would only apply to them in part.
The amended legislation would define more clearly the requirements for limiting emissions. A permit could be granted or a notification approved if the operator uses the best available techniques and the modelled noise levels remain below the threshold values.
Under the proposed transitional provision, the existing environmental permits and the decisions based on notifications would remain valid with their current conditions. If a shooting range does not currently have an environmental permit or operate under a notification in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act, the operator would need to apply for a permit or submit a notification within three years of the Act’s entry into force.
Inquiries:
Mika Lehtonen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 295 481 850, [email protected]