DOD's RESPONSE TO RAB FUNDING CAPS

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

The following is Sherri Wasserman-Goodman's response to Senator 
McCain's questions regarding the funding caps set for RABs in the 1996 
Defense Authorization Act.

Aimee Houghton
-------------------------

Questions for the Record
Senate Armed Services Committee,
Readiness Subcommittee
Environmental Security Programs

April 5, 1996
____________________________________________________________________
Restoration Advisory Boards

 Senator McCain: Section 324, of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 1996 established a funding cap for administrative and 
technical assistance expenses associated with Restoration Advisory Boards 
(RABs).
 (a) Based on the projected funding needs of the RABs in FY 1996 and the 
out years how would the military departments propose to maintain 
reasonable accountablity for administrative and technical assistance 
expenses?
 (b) What are the military departments' projected funding needs for RABs 
in FY 1997?
 (c) What is the justification for that funding level?

 Ms. Goodman: (a) Each RAB is being required to maintain records of 
both administrative expenses associated with establishment and 
operations, and technical assistance for public participation. DoD's RAB 
Working Group has identified a set of eligible RAB expenses and a set of 
eligible technical assistance expenses, so that data collection will be 
consistent. RABs will be expected to collect cost data and report 
through the Military Department to ODUSD(ES).
 (b) The Military Departments are projecting funding for FY 1997 based 
on the FY 1996 $6 million funding cap. Approximately 220 RABs are being 
supported; however, there is the potential for additional growth, as more 
TRCs become RABs and there is increasing activity at some BRAC 95 
locations. Resources will also be required to support technical 
assistance, which will be made available in FY97. The current cap of $6 
million may force a trade-off; the Services may have to decide whether to 
support RAB administrative costs or pay for technical assistance for RABs.
 (c) Supporting the administrative costs of RABs is critcal to their 
ability to function. DoD remains committed to involving communities 
neighboring its installations in environmental restoration decisions that 
may affect human health and the environment. RABs, which have become a 
significan component of DoD's community involvement activities, provide a 
forum through which members of affected communities can provide input to an 
installation's ongoing environmental restoration activities. An arbitrary
cap on funding levels could be counter productive. The Department does 
not support an arbitrary cap on such a small portion of the overall 
program but would support reporting on RAB activiy.