By Bill Wheelhouse, IL Public Radio
Springfield, Ill. – A police firing range in the Metro-East may re-open this week after it was closed because of lead contamination.
It closed a four months ago after one state police trooper got lead poisoning. He's not yet back on the job.
State Police spokesman Lincoln Hampton says the range was closed in March after tests found high levels of lead in materials like ceiling tiles.
But he says the doors could re-open this week. "All the repairs have been made, the air was tested, the site was cleaned, and they were doing some cosmetic work as far as replacing ceiling tiles and resealing the floor, which is a concrete floor."
The cleanup cost taxpayers $70,000.
Hampton says the poisoned officer is expected to return to work soon.