Letter From RMA RAB & SSAB

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

The following is a letter from the SSAB Chairperson and RAB Community 
Co-chair from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado. The RMA as to 
community oversite groups. The SSAB was formed seperately and before 
the formation of the RAB. We (CAREER/PRO) have been asked to post this 
letter--it appears in its entirety as it was orginally received.

Aimee Houghton

 *************************************************

Raymond J. Fatz
Acting Deputy Assistant of the Army,
OASA[I,L&E]

re: Public Comment on Proposed Plan, RMA

Dear Mr. Fatz

We are forwarding to you the comments of the Proposed Plan for the 
Rocky Mountain Arsenal (RMA) which were submitted by the public and 
local governments to the Program Manager. While the Draft Record of 
Decision has been released to the parties and the "chain of Command" at 
the Army and EPA, many of the public comments have not been included 
with the Draft ROD. We believe that the absence of public comments 
creates an inaccurate portrayal of the public acceptance of the RMA 
Proposed Plan.

We have been informed that public comments will be summarized in the 
ROD. We are concerned that such summaries will mis-represent both the 
substance and depth of public comment and non-acceptance. We want all 
written public comments, as well as a transcript of the public meeting, 
included verbatim in the RAM ROD. Even though we have voiced 
objections to the deletion and/or mis-representation of public 
comments, we have been informed that there is no mechanism for us to 
comment on this or any other aspect of the draft ROD. For this reason, 
we are sending our comments to you and asking the State of Colorado and 
the Region VIII EPA to voice our concerns in their comments on the 
Draft ROD.

We understand that your commitment to an open process and meaningful 
public participation may lead you to recommend that the Program Manager 
for the Arsenal reevaluate these positions. The cultivation of trust 
and confidence of the public towards cleanup at Federal facilities is 
of great importance to the involved citizens, and the assertion of 
public acceptance over the objections of these very same citizens will 
have a disastrous effect on the trust building process.

We have been dedicated to these goals and have spent countless hours 
becoming informed about the issues over the last two years, and we 
desperately need your help at this juncture. If we can be of any 
service or provide any further information, please feel free to contact:

 Rick Warner Sandra Jaquith
 SSAB Chairperson RAB Community Co-chair
 894 Dexter Drive 844 Downing Street
 Broomfield, CO 80020 Denver, CO 80218

Thank You for Your Attention,

Daniel P. Mulqueen
SSAB Secretary

cc:
Patricia Rivers
Maj. W. Steven Huff
Barry Breens
Lenny Siegel