More than 400 gun ranges across Florida could be shielded from state environmental laws under a fast-moving legislative proposal being pushed by House Republicans, according to The Tallahassee Herald Tribune.

On Dec. 16, a Florida House committee approved the legislation sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley (R-Ocala), who along with a representative of the National Rifle Association (NRA) accused state regulators who work for Gov. Jeb Bush of pursuing “back door gun control.”

The problem is that lead-based ammunition can contaminate the ground and nearby water bodies after it falls to the ground. But Baxley said that regulators were using environmental laws to hound gun range owners out of business, a move he said violates the constitutional right to bear arms.

His legislation would block the state from pursuing pollution claims against gun ranges as well as force all state and local governments to drop any existing actions to force owners to clean up their land.

NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer, also executive director of Unified Sportsmen of Florida, went further than Baxley, saying that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Southwest Florida Water Management District had engaged in “politically-motivated vendettas” against gun range owners.

DEP officials testified that they as well as the Southwest Florida Water Management District are involved in litigation with one gun range located in Pinellas County. DEP is trying to reach a settlement with two other ranges, including one in Escambia County. More than 25 other ranges with lead levels above accepted levels have reached agreements to clean up their property, a DEP official told legislators.