The comment period is open for a proposed project to bring a machine gun range to Joint Base Cape Cod.
In an environmental assessment, the Massachusetts Army National Guard said it needs the eight-lane machine gun range to provide required small arms training for soldiers.
To receive training and meet weapons qualifications now, local soldiers must travel around 270 miles to Camp Ethan Allen in Jericho, Vermont.
But already, some environmental activists have raised concerns about 170 acres of forest land that would need to be clear-cut to make way for the range.
If built, it would be the first and only machine gun range in Massachusetts. The range wouldn’t be open to any kind of public use.
Public comments can be submitted by Sept. 8 to Keith J. Driscoll at the Hanscom Air Force Base. He can be reached by email at Keith.J.Driscoll.nfg@mail.mil.