Central Switzerland Canton Schwyz secures contributions for the renovation of shooting ranges

The Schwyz government wants to secure cantonal contributions for the renovation of shooting ranges. It wants to extend a regulation that allows the canton to allocate funds until the end of 2025.

The extension is necessary as a corresponding motion at federal level has been delayed, the Schwyz State Chancellery announced on Thursday. The motion aims to return to the pre-2009 contribution system.

Specifically, the motion called for the federal government to once again reimburse 40 percent of the renovation costs per target and no longer a flat rate of CHF 8,000. According to the State Chancellery, small shooting ranges in particular would benefit from this.

The matter requires "swift action", the government wrote in its report to the cantonal council. It therefore intends to partially revise the Introductory Act to the Environmental Protection Act in two stages.

In the first stage, the cantonal government intends to implement the changes that have been definitively required to date. The second stage is to take place once the revision of the Environmental Protection Act has been completed at federal level. This will not be the case before mid-2025.

In addition to extending the deadline for shooting ranges, the first stage also provides for the municipalities to be given greater leeway in the levying of waste charges. The previously prescribed basic and volume fees are to be removed from the law. The municipalities and districts are now to decide on the type and scope of the charges levied.