Congressional Briefing on FFERDC Final Report

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

From: Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>
Subject: Congressional Briefing on FFERDC Final Report

The following letter was sent out by CAREER/PRO to our data base of RAB 
members. We feel that it will be of interest to participants of the 
cpro.military conference as well.

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

 April 2, 1996

Dear RAB Member,

 On Monday April 15, 1996 the FFERDC, an influential, 
multi-stakeholder federal advisory group, will be holding Congressional 
Briefings on the newly released Final Report of the Federal Facilities 
Environmental Restoration Dialogue Committee (FFERDC). The House 
briefing will take place from 2pm to 3:30pm in Room 2322 of the Rayburn 
House Office Building and the Senate briefing will be held from 4pm to 
5pm in Room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. We are writing 
you in advance so that you may have the opportunity to contact your 
Congressional representatives (both Senate and House members) and 
request they have a staff member attend this briefing.

 This report, like its February 1993 predecessor, The Interim 
Report, addresses the milti-faceted and complex issues that confront 
those involved in the cleanup of federal facilites. The Interim Rport 
called for the formation of advisory boards at federal facilities in 
order to ensure meaningful public participation in environmental 
cleanup decisions. Since the that time over 250 have been established 
and the RAB you serve on is a direct result of the recommendations made 
in 1993.

 The new FFERDC report builds on the 1993 document, urging that 
key decisions in federal cleanup programs, such as the allocation of
budget shortfalls, be based upon extensive, up-front consultation with 
public stakeholders--that is, members of RABs--as well as regulatory 
agencies.

 High level officials at the Defense Department, the armed 
services, EPA, and other federal agencies, as well as representatives 
of states, tribes, and local governments, have signed on to this 
report, so we expect its key recommendations to be implemented widely.

 Significant features of the FFERDC approach--particularly the 
need for stable funding--require Congressional support. In fact, it's 
important that Congress know that representatives of all parties 
involved in federal faciliteis cleanup have been working together to 
improve the cleanup decision-making process.

 In addition to this Congressional Staff Briefing, FFERDC will 
be traveling to different regions in the country and holding 
implementation workshops on this report. It is anticipated this will 
begin in the late spring. We will inform you when one is scheduled for 
your area.

 The role of community RAB members is the lynchpin of the 
federal facilities cleanup process; members such as yourself have 
helped to reshape and redefine the process of participatory government. 
Again, join us in requesting the attendence of Congressional staff at 
these April 15th briefings. Your letter, fax, phone call, or E-mail 
will also remind your Representative or Senator that military base 
cleanup is an issue back home and that your community, like hundreds 
of others, is working to see that it is done right.

 For your input to go directly to your representatives, we 
suggest you contact staff offices in Washington, DC. If your are unsure 
of the addresses, phone, fax, or E-mail for your representatives, 
please feel free to contact us and we will provide you with this 
information. Thank you for all your dedication and hard work.

Sincerley,

Lenny Siegel Aimee R. Houghton
Project Director Program Associate