National RAB Caucus meeting

[arc@igc.org]

 THE NATIONAL CAUCUS OF RESTORATION ADVISORY BOARD COMMUNITY 
 MEMBERS MEETING -- JANUARY 25-26 1997, PHOENIX, ARIZONA 

THIRD INSTALLMENT OF POSTING: THE NATIONAL CAUCUS OF RESTORATION 
ADVISORY BOARD COMMUNITY MEMBERS MEETING AGENDA

DATE: JANUARY 27-29 1997

LOCATION: PHOENIX, ARIZONA 

This is the third posting of information on the upcoming RAB Community 
Member National Caucus in January. As mentioned in yesterday's posting, 
the RAB Caucus is scheduled to coincide with the meeting of the Pentagon's 
Defense Environmental Restoration Task Force (DERTF). This posting 
focuses on the Caucus meeting agenda. 

With regard to Ted Henry's recent posting, Arc Ecology certainly sees 
the visions as compatible. As we hope the draft agenda makes clear, 
one of our objectives for the meeting is the development of a structure 
for the National Caucus. Which is consistent with Ted's view as well.

We agree completely with Ted's concerns regarding the need to communicate 
by mail, phone and computer. It is our hope that with the availability 
of travel scholarships, many more RAB members will be able to attend 
the meeting than have so far participated in the discussion on CareerPro. 
Enough so that it will be broadly representative of the visions of RAB 
members. Dick Miller uploaded our response to his question about travel 
funding to the list and so we hope that folks have a better understanding 
of what we are doing to facilitate the participation of a large number 
of RAB community members in the Caucus meeting.

Considering our promise of brevity with these messages, the remainder 
of Ted's comments regarding the need for communication and "equally 
important there needs to be a body they can turn to for muscle support 
when problems aren't getting solved" (Ted Henry 9/18/97) will be discussed 
tomorrow in our upload on the history of RAB Caucuses. 

As far as the need for wide-spread input goes, we couldn't agree more. 
We believe the process we have initiated with regard to the Caucus and 
the conversations here on CareerPro will help make the process as 
inclusive as possible, but we are always open to more input as we hope 
everyone in this process is. As Ted said, we've see a lot of divide 
and conquer now it's time to organize!

TOMORROW: HISTORY OF THE RAB CAUCUS PROCESS

OUTLINE OF THE JANUARY CAUCUS MEETING

Arc is organizing the formal Caucus to take place on January 26th, 
the day before the DERTF meeting. This is so individuals who do not 
have the time to stay for the Task Force meeting will be able to 
participate in the basic Caucus organizational and strategy discussions 
and leave. Caucuses will continue to occur concurrently with the 
DERTF meeting so that RAB community members can react to the discussions 
and present an alternative perspective as a caucus if people choose to. 
A short rap up meeting will take place after the DERTF meeting to 
discuss next steps. 

Draft Agenda

The following is a draft agenda and Arc is soliciting input: So if 
anyone has a suggestion(s) please feel free to respond with them. A 
final agenda and Caucus packet will be available in December 1997.

JANUARY 25TH

Daytime: Airport Pick-ups

7pm: Dinner and RAB Roundtable -- Where members discuss the major 
 issues affecting their RAB

JANUARY 26TH 

9am: Welcome, Introduction of the meeting and its agenda, 
 Introductions of participants

9:30 Background session 
 A. History of the US Base Cleanup program 
 B. Current status of the program
 The President's budget and Funding for FY98
 Dirty Transfers
 Institutional Controls
 Superfund Amendments
 Legislative update
 Upcoming guidances

11:30 Break

11:45 DERTF Agenda 
 Discussion of topics and responses, if any, from Caucus
 Development of Caucus statement to DERTF for presentation 
 at public comment period
 Discussion of individual RAB members comments to DERTF

1pm Lunch

2pm Goals and objectives of Caucus
 Ad-hoc or ongoing
 Activities
 Comments on guidances
 Comments on legislation
 Advocacy for funding and standards

3:30 Break

3:45 Structure
 A. Discussion of past Caucus structures 
 B. Development of new Caucus structure

5:30 Review of decisions 
 A. Summary of tasks and assignments 
 B. Development of timeline for implementation

6:30 Formal close of Caucus

7pm Dinner and conversation

JANUARY 27TH

Daytime: Outreach to DERTF members and program personnel

6-7pm Evening Caucus to access DERTF actions and develop response,
 if needed. Continued development of Caucus statement to DERTF.

JANUARY 28TH

Daytime: Outreach to DERTF members and program personnel

6:30pm Presentation of Caucus and individual RAB community member 
 statements to DERTF during public comment period .

JANUARY 29TH

4pm Summary of DERTF meeting, development of response, if needed. 
 Coordination of Caucus report back to RAB community members.

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TRANSPORTATION AND/ OR LODGING

Through the generosity of the Ottinger and Town Creek Foundations, 
Arc is able to make a limited number of scholarships available for 
transportation and lodging (but not food) for the meeting. Information 
on scholarship applications will be available in December 1997.