Officials of Essex County, New Jersey have refused to issue permits to allow producers of The Sopranos to film a gunfight scene in the South Mountain Reservation, saying that not only were they concerned about safety issues involving such filming during the hunting season but also, in the words of County executive James W. Treffinger, "granting a permit for our taxpayer-owned facilities for a profit-making enterprise which depicts an ethnic group in stereotypical fashion." Moreover, Sheriff Armando Fontoura told the Associated Press: "I don't think the show is good for Essex County. It's not accurate. That's not what we're all about."

Source: Studio Briefing