Gov. Phil Scott said Friday it’s “good news” for its neighbors that a judge approved an injunction in environmental court Thursday, temporarily banning firearms training at the Slate Ridge complex in West Pawlet,
The injunction had been sought by the Pawlet town government.
“Obviously, this has been an area that has been controversial,” Scott said. “If there were environmental laws that were broken, they should follow through on that, which we’ve been advocating for.”
Slate Ridge, an unpermitted firearms training facility, is operated by Daniel Banyai in a residential zone in West Pawlet. The injunction addressed Banyai’s lack of the town permits required to operate a school or business in a residential area.
Both Scott and Michael Schirling, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, had said in the past that they haven’t found evidence that Banyai has committed any crimes on which the state can act.
“There has not been the basis of evidence to act on any of the reports that have been made,” Schirling said. “A number of them have been reviewed by prosecutors, in addition to having ongoing investigations. At this point, now that there is an order in place, there could be a contempt of court if those activities continue.”
State officials have said enforcement action would largely fall under the jurisdiction of the town or the federal governments.
Recently, Vermont Public Radio reported that Vermont’s Natural Resources Board has obtained evidence that gives the town a strong indication of Act 250 violations on Banyai’s property. The board’s staff members have declined to investigate the property themselves, fearing for their safety, and hoped state police would take on the case.
But Schirling declined, saying the Department of Public Safety staff is not trained on Act 250 violations, and state police have never gotten involved in land-use disputes.
So, currently, no one is investigating potential Act 250 violations on the property.
Last week, a different judge issued a protective stalking order in civil court against Banyai, ordering him to stay away from Mandy Hulett, a neighbor who Banyai has doxed and harassed in the last six months.
Neighbors have criticized state officials for their lack of response to activities at Slate Ridge, and now they and the town government have taken their arguments to court.
Banyai has a pending felony charge in New York, at least two protective orders filed against him, and according to a leaked law enforcement bulletin from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, “is believed to be unlawfully in possession of a large cache of firearms and ammunition.”
Read the story on VTDigger here: Governor: Slate Ridge injunction is ‘good news’ for neighbors.