RANGE RULE FORUM NOTICE

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

PUBLIC NOTICE: RANGE RULE PUBLIC INFORMATION FORUMS

The Department of Defense (DoD) has published a proposed Range Rule -- a
five-phase process for protecting the public from risks posed by
military ordnance at closed, transferred and transferring military
ranges. The term "military ordnance" includes explosive devices used in
training and weapons testing. Under the proposed rule, a military range
is an area of land or water where ordnance has been used for training or
testing. 

Closed ranges are former range areas on active military installations
that have been put to new uses not compatible with range operations. 
Transferred ranges are areas historically used by the DoD for weapons
training or testing but released from Defense Department control in the
past. Transferring military ranges are those in the process of being
released from DoD control, either through the Base Realignment and
Closure program or other property-transfer agreements. 

The proposed rule will address explosives safety, human health and
environmental concerns related to military ordnance on these ranges.

These forums will also provide the public with an opportunity to review
and comment on the scope of a Programmatic Environmental Impact
Statement (PEIS) that will be prepared in conjunction with the rule's
development. The PEIS will examine the potential environmental impacts
of issuing the Range Rule versus the environmental impacts of other
alternatives. It will be an information tool to help key decision
makers assess the proposed Range Rule.

You are invited to participate in this process and provide your comments
during a regional public information forum to be held at:

Jacksonville, Florida October 22, 1997
Baltimore, Maryland October 29, 1997
Kansas City, Missouri November 5, 1997
Reno, Nevada December 10, 1997

The forums will be conducted between 3 and 9 p.m. Information on the
proposed rule and related topics will be available, and technical,
legal, and health and safety specialists will be present to answer
questions. The forums will take place at the following locations:

Jacksonville -- Radisson Riverwalk Hotel and Conference Center, 1515
Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32207; tel. (904) 396-5100

Baltimore -- Best Western Hotel and Conference Center, Baltimore Travel
Center, 5625 O'Donnell Street, Baltimore, MD 21224; tel. (410) 633-9500

Kansas City -- Crowne Plaza Hotel, 4445 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 
64111; tel. (816) 531-3000

Reno -- Lawlor Events Center, Hall of Fame Room, University of Nevada,
North Virginia and 15th Street, Reno, NV 89557; tel. (702) 784-4659 

Copies of the proposed Range Rule will be available for review at the
public forums, or may be obtained from the Range Rule Information Center
by writing to Department of Defense Range Rule, P.O. Box 4137,
Gaithersburg, MD 20885-4137, by calling 1-888-541-1081 or 1-800-870-6557
for the hearing impaired, by faxing requests to 1-800-670-6547, or by
sending electronic mail inquires to fbarrule@b-r.com. The proposed rule
is also accessible on the World Wide Web at
http://www.acq.osd.mil/ens/. The link words are "Munitions Range Rule."

Lenny Siegel
Director, SFSU CAREER/PRO (and Pacific Studies Center)
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/968-1126
lsiegel@igc.org