Re: RANGE RESEARCH

[csimmons@library.ca.gov]

From: "Charlene Simmons (csimmons@library.ca.gov)" <csimmons@library.ca.gov>

During the base closure process many communities ran into this same 
problem--all of the background information on closure decisions was in 
the BRAC library located in Washington, D.C. For California, this meant 
that every affected community had to hire Washington lobbyists to help prepare 
their analyses. There's really no excuse for this kind of centralized 
information control in the age of the Internet and scanners. DoD is 
increasingly making its information available on the Internet, and could be 
encouraged to continue/expediate that process.

The California State Library and the California Trade and Commerce Agency 
have built a base closure/defense conversion Internet information system
called CEDAR (California Economic Diversification and Revitalization) to serve 
communities, workers and businesses affected by defense downsizing. (See 
http://www.cedar.ca.gov) We already organize and link to pertinent 
environmental remediation information and would be happy to expand that 
service.

Dr. Charlene Wear Simmons
Assistant Director
California Reseach Bureau, California State Library