Daniel Banyai, who has been feuding with the town of Pawlet, Vermont over his 30-acre shooting range since 2013, has decided to demolish his private Slate Ridge range, rather than face an indefinite prison sentence.
Banyai, who also operates an organic farm at the same location, made the decision for the welfare of his animals, according to a statement from his lawyer, Robert K. Kaplan.
Daniel Banyai has made the difficult decision to comply with the Environmental Court’s contempt order out of necessity because he has livestock on his organic farm that must be tended to. Daniel could not make suitable arrangements for these animals to be cared for while he sits in jail for an indeterminate period,” Kaplan said. “Ultimately, Daniel was forced to put his responsibility to the animals ahead of the principles he has fought so hard for despite his willingness to lose his liberty in service to his cause. At the end of the day, Daniel was unwilling to allow innocent animals to become casualties of his conflict with the Town of Pawlet.
In a story published last week, Kaplan explained that after failing to remove the range through rezoning the property, Pawlet town officials sued Banyai in Vermont’s environmental court claiming the range was used as a “paramilitary training camp.”
By Lee Williams