The Massachusetts National Guard had proposed clearing 170 acres of dense forest to build a new range on the 15,000-acre base on the Upper Cape, one of only a few in the state where soldiers can drill with their weapons.
But the controversial proposal was vehemently opposed by local lawmakers and environmental groups, who cited the loss of forestry and proximity to the area's drinking-water supply.
"The Healey-Driscoll administration is committed to protecting the environment and quality of life of Cape Cod residents and ensuring the Massachusetts National Guard has the resources they need to do their important work," Healey said in a statement Monday. "Governor Healey did not approve the signing of the contract for the development of a Multipurpose Machine Gun Range at Joint Base Cape Cod because the funding has not been reauthorized and the project was still undergoing review."
Her administration is committed to working with Major General Gary W. Keefe, and his team and our congressional delegation to meet the long-term training needs of the National Guard." A spokesperson for the Massachusetts National Guard deferred a request for comment to Healey's office.
The Guard had promised to protect the land. But in a time of growing concerns about climate change, local officials joined advocates to oppose the machine-gun range.
Barnstable County's Board of Regional Commissioners last month voted to reaffirm its opposition, and sent a letter to Healey, urging her to use her powers as commander in chief of the Massachusetts National Guard, to stop the project.
The three-member panel also threatened legal action, saying the project threatened the Upper Cape Water Supply Reserve, a 15,000-acre tract within the base that serves as a source of drinking water for the base and four Cape Cod towns: Bourne, Falmouth, Mashpee, and Sandwich.
State law requires "any military use within the reserve be compatible with the purposes of water supply and wildlife habitat protection," the commissioners wrote, according to a copy of the letter.
State Senator Julian Cyr applauded the halting of the construction contract for the $9.7 million project.
"Governor Healey's decision not to proceed with the development of a multipurpose machine-gun range at Joint Base Cape Cod is a huge win for Cape Cod's environment and the preservation of our sole source aquifer," said Cyr, a Democrat who represents the Cape and Islands, in a statement. "Cape Codders owe the governor a huge debt of gratitude for listening to our concerns and sharing our commitment to stewardship of our fragile natural resources."
Cyr also said he remains committed to "supporting the Massachusetts National Guard so they can identify an alternative in-state location for such a facility to advance their important work."
Andrew Gottlieb, executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, who opposed the range, said Healey's action effectively killed the project.
"They were trying to cram it down and get a contract signed, and we and others pushed hard on the governor to block it," he said in an interview Monday.
An attempt to gain funding in Congress through the 2025 defense bill this summer failed as well, Gottlieb said.
Representative Bill Keating and Senator Elizabeth Warren removed the item from the armed services bill, Gottlieb said.
"They tried to get appropriations extended, and that was blocked as well," Gottlieb said.
In a statement Monday, Keating said he supported Healey's decision.
"When the request to extend this project's funding beyond September 30th came before Congress earlier this year, I weighed the same factors, concluding that [a federal environmental] review must be completed before the project could move forward."
The Guard vowed to comply with all federal and state environmental requirements before building the range, which would have vastly expanded an already cleared area on the base, one that looks like a grass runway in the forest. All munitions used on the range would be "environmentally friendly," using copper-coated ammunition rather than lead, they added.
In defense of the project -- which they said was critical to maintaining the readiness of their soldiers -- Guard officials say they have "extensively coordinated" with agencies including the state Department of Environmental Protection and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and "fully engaged" with state and federal environmental reviews.
They noted that the Guard now has a dedicated environmental affairs program, which they said ensures the training grounds are sustainable and don't harm rare species or "other sensitive resources." Moreover, they said, a greenhouse gas analysis of the project they commissioned found that their forestry management plans and other preservation efforts -- including transferring 260 acres of land on the base to the adjacent Crane Wildlife Management area -- would offset the carbon emissions of all the lost trees.