RAB CAUCUS ANNOUNCEMENT

[arc@igc.org]

 **** WARNING: THIS IS A VERY LONG FILE. ****

TO: CARRERPRO BBS PARTICIPANTS INTERESTED IN FORMING A NATIONAL RAB NETWORK
FM: ARC ECOLOGY

>>>> RAB CAUCUS MEETING ON-LINE PRE-REGISTRATION <<<<

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A NATIONAL CAUCUS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF 
RESTORATION ADVISORY BOARDS

DATE: JANUARY 25-26 1997

LOCATION: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

THE CAUCUS WILL TAKE PLACE CONCURRENTLY WITH 
THE PENTAGON'S DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION TASK FORCE MEETING 

>>>> UPDATED POSTING <<<<<

---------------------------------------

Dear Fellow RAB Community Members:

Enclosed please find the January 1998 RAB Caucus Pre-registration 
packet. The packet contains the following:

Introduction to the Caucus meeting
An explanation of the registration form and financial assistance available
The pre-registration form itself
An update on the DERTF meeting
An updated but still draft agenda for the Caucus meeting
Background on the Caucus

Our apologies to those of you who have read some of this material 
before. We are posting the background again for folks who haven't 
seen it yet. Most of the sections have been updated. We have 
included information on financial support for attending the Caucus, a 
form for pre-registering, and updated the DERTF and Caucus meeting agendas. 

We will also be uploading a file shortly that will consist of the 
discussion papers that have been posted thus far. We felt it would be 
helpful to have them assembled in one file for review. As more 
discussion papers are uploaded and mailed, we'll be recirculating the 
discussion papers periodically to ensure that Caucus meeting 
participants have them.

Finally, if you're planning on attending the Caucus, I want to urge 
you to send in or email your Pre-registration form as soon as you 
can. By doing so, you will really help us facilitate our planning for 
the Caucus and make the event a rewarding experience for everyone. I 
look forward to seeing you there.

On Behalf of Arc Ecology

Saul Bloom

INTRODUCTION TO THE CAUCUS MEETING

In 1997 Arc received funding from the Ottinger and Town Creek 
Foundations to host a meeting of RAB community members from around the 
United States to discuss the creation of an ongoing national RAB 
caucus. We're hoping that you'll participate in that meeting and 
bring all of your good ideas into a discussion with hopefully dozens 
of other RAB community members from around the country.

A. WHAT'S A RAB CAUCUS?

A RAB Caucus is a network of community members of Restoration Advisory 
Boards cooperating to ensure the proper cleanup of their local bases 
by working together to create better regional , state and national 
base cleanup policy and practice. The Caucus speaks only for its 
participants and not all RABs or RAB members.

B. WHY WE NEED A NATIONAL RAB COMMUNITY MEMBER CAUCUS

Because base cleanups are not going well and we are losing ground! 
Base cleanup is entering a very dangerous phase. The Defense 
Department is pushing lower cleanup standards, dirty transfers and is 
poised to abandon thousands of acres of contaminated property on 
communities across the country under the pretense that there are 
insufficient funds to provide timely and responsible cleanups. 

RABs are an important vehicle for public input into the cleanup 
process, but RAB performance is inconsistent. Frequently RAB members 
feel overwhelmed and unsupported. Further local Base Environmental 
Coordinators vary greatly in their commitment to RABs, so many 
community members feel ill informed about the subject they have 
volunteered to give input into. Often RAB meetings are little more 
than informational sessions rather than forums for substantive discussions. 

The purpose of a RAB Caucus is to create a network for RAB community 
members across the country and a vehicle for RAB community members to 
influence cleanup policies on a national level. The Caucus could 
cooperate on:

> Commenting on the development of DoD cleanup policies and guidances 
on a national level
> Advocating reasonable funding levels in Congress for base cleanup
> Advocating greater oversight of contractors and reform of the 
process, to speed cleanup and reduce costs. 
> The protection of environmental regulations from amendments that 
reduce health and environmental protections
> Sharing resources such as model by-laws, charters and other RAB 
administrative tools that enhance RAB members abilities to participate 
in cleanup decision-making
> Sharing expertise and experience among RAB members, providing aid to 
Caucus participants with dysfunctional RABs or where community members 
are experiencing harassment.

What we hope to achieve: 

cleanups that are flexible and protective of human health and the 
environment
protection of communities from the probable adverse 
environmental consequences of dirty transfers
effective input into national legislative, DoD and EPA policies 
regarding base cleanup and environmental regulations
reductions in reprisals against vocal RAB members
community values driving cleanup plans

Ultimately we hope to see a number of statewide RAB caucuses 
functioning under the national caucus rubric. This would facilitate 
coordinated educational campaigns focused on state and federal 
legislators regarding policy changes associated with the base 
closures and cleanup process. It would serve to better educate the 
general public about the importance of the issue, and to empower the 
communities most impacted within the base cleanup and conversion process. 

C. WHO PARTICIPATES IN COMMUNITY MEMBER CAUCUS MEETINGS?

RAB Community member Caucuses are designed to be by and for community 
representatives serving on RABs. The Caucus model respectfully 
excludes the military and their contractors, regulators, local 
government officials, and locally elected officials from participating 
in the caucus except when they are specifically invited to address an 
agenda item. There are a number of reasons for excluding the 
governmental members of RABs and their contractors from the caucuses. 
First and foremost is that community members of RABs need the 
opportunity to have frank off-the-record discussions of issues. The 
governmental members of RABs and their contractors tend to dominate 
discussions and some individuals may feel intimidated to express real 
concerns for fear of retaliation which occasionally happens. Finally 
a caucus of just community members allows those participants the 
opportunity to plan strategies and reach agreements that may conflict 
with the governments agenda and can take positions on a much broader set of
issues than the Defense Department would approve of at individual RAB meetings.

D. A CAUCUS NEEDS TO MEET

While it's inexpensive to communicate via email, many RAB Community 
members aren't on-line yet. As a result it is important to have 
opportunities to talk over issues and make decisions. Unfortunately 
it is far more difficult to have a large discussion over the phone and 
via the mail than it is to have one in person. While in person 
meetings can be expensive, they can also be very worthwhile. In this 
particular instance RABs have an opportunity to combine the need to 
have planning meetings -- actual caucuses -- and to inform the 
development of national policy. This can be done twice a year by 
holding the national caucus meeting concurrently with a Defense 
Environmental Task Force meeting and by combining a Caucus meeting 
with a day of outreach on Capitol Hill sometime around September.

E. WHY MEET CONCURRENTLY WITH THE DERTF?

The DERTF is the Federal Advisory Committee for the Pentagon's cleanup 
program. It reviews and makes recommendations on most of the DoD 
policies related to base cleanup. The DERTF is composed of federal, 
state and public representatives. Its members include the USEPA, the 
National Association of Attorney Generals, the Western Governors 
Association, the Urban Institute, and the Environment and Energy Study 
Institute and is chaired by the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for 
Environmental Security, Ms. Sherry Wasserman Goodman whose office 
staffs the DERTF.

The DERTF process offers an important, previously unexplored, 
opportunity to bring community voices to DoD planners and advisors. 
Its meetings are open and there is public comment and therefore can 
provide RAB members with an opportunity to address the committee and 
meet a number of the key people most directly advising and managing 
the Pentagon's Installation Restoration and BRAC programs. Because 
DERTF can be an important forum for presenting Caucus policy 
objectives, the RAB Caucus meeting will in-part focus on airing 
concerns and developing a coordinated strategy around the public 
comment period.

F. ATTENDING THE JANUARY MEETING

> Attending the caucus is free to all RAB community members

There is no registration fee for the Caucus meeting. If you are a RAB 
community member, the meeting and all of the supporting material, are free. 

> What's the difference between pre-registration and registration

Pre-registration helps us to access the size of the meeting so that we 
can prepare for it. It will also help us keep you updated on the 
developments around the Caucus. Registration will give us a final 
count on participants and help us facilitate the actual logistics for 
Caucus participants once they get to Phoenix. 

> Agenda Setting and Discussion Papers

If you are a RAB community member, feel free to upload your input on 
the agenda and any discussion papers you might be interested to 
present at the Caucus meeting. A final version of the Caucus meeting 
agenda will be posted vial email and conventional mail in the first 
week of January so there is plenty of time to think about the agenda 
and give your input. Discussion papers will be circulated via email 
and with the final packet that is conventionally posted. 

F. 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. There are 
two categories for financial aid for attending the Caucus. The first 
is a stipend. A stipend is a 50% contribution toward the costs of 
airfare and lodging. The second is a scholarship. A scholarship is a 
100% contribution toward the costs of airfare and lodging. Because of 
financial limitations we currently need to keep the financial awards 
to one per RAB. Financial awards will be granted on a first come, 
first serve basis. Meals are unfortunately not covered, nor are 
transportation costs other than airfare -- although Arc will be 
organizing a shuttle between the airport and the meeting. The more 
individual RAB community members will be able to share some of the 
costs of attendance the more cost we can defray for other members. 
Arc will of-cours e be seeking more funding, and as we announced 
previously we hope to be able to assure the participation of at least 
50 RABs at the Caucus meeting.

G. USING THE FORM TO PREREGISTER

To preregister simply fill out the form and do one of the following things.

>> Email: To email us the form please copy the form alone to a text 
file and upload it to us at our email address of arc@igc.org.

>> Fax: You can also fax the form to us at 415-495-1787

>> Mail: To mail in the preregistration form send it to Arc Ecology 
833 Market Street, Suite 1107, San Francisco, CA 94103.

JANUARY 1998 RAB COMMUNITY MEMBER CAUCUS ON-LINE PREREGISTRATION FORM

Please help us reserve your place at the RAB Caucus meeting by filling 
out the form below. Pre-registration is the best way we have to 
determine the number of packets, size of facility and rooms we need to 
accommodate Caucus participants.

YOU MUST BE A RAB COMMUNITY MEMBER TO ATTEND 
THE RAB COMMUNITY MEMBER CAUCUS MEETING

RAB Affiliation _____________________________________________

State ________ City/ Town _________________________________

Name _____________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________

City/ Town ________________________________________________

State _________ ZIP __________________

Phone _________________________

FAX __________________________

E-mail _________________________

Check if you are an officer of the RAB: Community CoChair _____ 
Other (please specify) _____________ 

To participate, will you require a stipend or scholarship

Stipend ______ Scholarship ______

Please check if you plan to stay for the DERTF meeting _____

Please check if you wish assistance with your travel arrangements _____ 

* If you don't plan on attending, but want to help other RAB community 
members participate in the January Caucus, you can make a tax 
deductible contribution to the RAB Community Member Caucus 
Transportation Fund c/o Arc Ecology. 

2. UPDATE ON THE JANUARY 27-29, 1998 DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL 
RESTORATION TASK FORCE MEETING

Along with the discussion of ongoing networking between RABs, the 
Caucus meeting is also intended to relate to the discussion taking 
place at DERTF we are presenting the DERTF agenda first. This will 
make it easier for RAB Community Members to review the Caucus agenda 
in light of the discussions at DERTF.

The following is the latest preliminary material on the January 
Defense Environmental Restoration Task Force (DERTF) meeting. The 
DERTF meeting will take place at the Embassy Suites Airport, 1515 
North 44th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 602-244-8800. The hotel is two 
miles from the airport. The Caucus will meet the day prior to and 
concurrently with the DERTF meeting.

DoD has made several important changes to the previously circulated 
meeting agenda: 

> The public comment period has been moved to Tuesday 1/27, the first 
night of the meeting. The change in the schedule of the public 
comment period is important because it will inhibit individuals from 
commenting on topics on the DERTF agenda that have yet to be 
discussed. The public comment period has also been shortened by a half hour.

We believe DoD will be flexible on this issue and are requesting that 
either the public comment period be moved to the second or last day of 
the meeting or that a second comment period be added.

> The section on Expediting FOST/ FOSL of housing stock has been 
upgraded to full discussion from its previous place as one of 10 items 
under the Discussion paper section.

> Several new items that have been added:

 Lead in Soil from Lead-Based Paint
 BRAC Indicators of Progress
 BRAC Cleanup Site Security

> Some items that have been dropped:

 Cleanup Cost Reduction Strategies (along with any reference to 
cleanup cost control).
 Future of DERTF
 Final institutional controls guide

If we receive anything notable about the rationale for the changes to 
the DERTF agenda we will post it subsequently.

DERTF UPDATED PRELIMINARY AGENDA

TUESDAY, 1/27

7:30am Registration
8:00 Executive session
(Sherri W. Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense/ Environmental 
Security) note: This session was dropped, but it is unclear as to 
whether it will occur

9:30 Administrative remarks
(Patricia Rivers, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Cleanup)
9:40 Opening remarks 
(Ms. Goodman, Task Force Members and Guests)
10:00 Business items
(Ms. Rivers)
 Approve June 1997 meeting minutes
 Review open action items
10:30 Break
11:00 Panel presentation on protection of natural and cultural 
resources at BRAC installations 
 (Peter Boice, ODUSD-EQ)
12:00 Lunch
1:15 Introduction to Williams Air Force Base Segment (WAFB)
(William Nelms, Site Manager/ Acting BEC)
1:30 Presentation on reuse and property transfer issues at 
Williams Air Force Base 
(Wayne Balmer, City of Mesa Community Development Manager)
2:15 Presentation on environmental issues at WAFB
(William Harris, AFCEE; Rich Frietas, Remedial Project Manager EPA; 
Amanda Stone, Arizona DEQ)
3:00 Presentation on the WAFB base reuse story
(Representatives of the Gila River Indian Community; Williams Gateway 
Airport Authority; Arizona State University - East; and the Willams AFB RAB)
3:15 Break
3:45 Tour of WAFB 
5:00 Dinner Break
7:00 Public Comment Period
8:00 Adjournment/ Buses Depart for Hotel

WEDNESDAY, 1/28

9:00am Administrative remarks: Ms. Rivers
9:15 Presentation on long-term operation/ long-term maintenance
(Army/ Navy) note: the term "cost reduction" which appeared in the 
previous version of the agenda has been dropped 
10:45 Break
11:15 Superfund reform (EPA)
12:00 Lunch
1:30 Presentation on information management for BRAC properties 
(Mr. Brian Polly, GSA)
2:30 Presentation on expediting FOST/ FOSL
(Phyllis Breland, OEA)
3:00 Presentation on Lender Concerns Regarding BRAC Properties
(To be determined)
3:30 Break
4:00 Presentation on natural resources damage
(USEPA)
4:30 Adjournment

THURSDAY, 1/29

9:00am Administrative remarks: Ms. Rivers
9:15 Discussion of issues papers: Ms. Goodman
 Measures of merit
 Range Rule update
 Asbestos at BRAC installations
 Lead in Soil from Lead-Based Paint -- New
 BRAC Indicators of Progress
 NGA Federal Facilities Policy
 Early transfer authority
 RAB Disestablishment -- New Title
 Future land use
 BRAC Cleanup Site Security
12:00 Lunch
1:30 Annual Report to Congress: Ms. Goodman
2:00 New business
 July 1998 Meeting
 Other Matters
3:30 Adjournment

3. OUTLINE OF THE JANUARY CAUCUS MEETING

The formal Caucus takes place on January 26th, the day before the 
DERTF meeting. Although we had proposed to extend the meeting into 
the afternoon of the 27th, we are going to keep the main meeting to 
one day in case the DERTF decides to restrict the public hearing to 
the evening of the 27th. As indicated earlier, a one day main meeting 
will be valuable to individuals who do not have the time to stay for 
the DERTF meeting. With a single day main meeting these RAB community 
members will be able to participate in the basic Caucus 
organizational and strategy discussions and leave. 

Informal Caucus meetings 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 wrap up meeting will take place after the 
DERTF meeting to discuss next steps. The Caucus meeting will be 
facilitated by a professional independent facilitator. Arc will 
produce and distribute the proceedings of the Caucus.

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

SUNDAY, 1/25

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

MONDAY, 1/26 

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. Presentations: Current status of the program
 Health Risk Assessments 
 CERCLA: EE/CAs, Tiered Screening
 Dirty Transfers
 Institutional Controls
 Lead Based Paint
11:00 Break
11:15 Presentations: Current status of the program cont.
 Range Rule
 The President's budget and Funding for FY98
 Legislative update
 Superfund Amendments
 Upcoming guidances
1pm Lunch
2:30 DERTF Agenda
 Discussion of topics and responses, if any, from Caucus
 Sample topics:
 Disestablishment of RABs
 Range Rule
 Institutional Controls
 Development of Caucus statement to DERTF for presentation 
at public comment period
 Discussion of individual RAB members comments to DERTF
4:00 Break
4:15 Caucus/ Network discussion
 Presentation of Discussion Papers
 Goals and objectives of Caucus and networking
 Structure
6:00 Development of new Caucus structure
7:00 Review of decisions 
 Summary of tasks and assignments 
 Development of timeline for implementation
 Formal close of Caucus
7:30 Dinner and conversation

TUESDAY, 1/27

Daytime: Attend DERTF meeting. Outreach to DERTF members and program 
personnel

1-4:30pm Spill over time for unresolved Caucus discussions 
4:30-6pm Dinner 
7pm Participation in public hearing. Presentation of Caucus and 
individual RAB community member statements to DERTF during public 
comment period .

WEDNESDAY, 1/28

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 (depending upon 
whether DERTF agrees to change time or add an additional public hearing time).

THURSDAY, 1/29

4pm Summary of DERTF meeting, development of response, if needed. 
Coordination of Caucus report back to RAB community members.
5pm Conclusion of January Caucus

 4. BACKGROUND ON THE RAB CAUCUS PROCESS

A. RAB COMMUNITY MEMBER CAUCUSES IN CALIFORNIA

The first RAB Community Member Caucus was convened by Arc Ecology in 
December 1994 in San Francisco. During that meeting RAB community 
members from around the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Areas agreed to 
work together to improve the RAB process. In October of 1995 Arc 
Ecology convened a California Caucus. The objectives of the California 
RAB Caucus were to speed cleanup toward flexible reuse, to improve the 
conditions for RAB community members, and to ensure good quality 
environmental restoration of military bases in the State. 

Ultimately, the California RAB Caucus grew to include community 
members from the RABs of the Naval Shipyards at Hunters Point in San 
Francisco and Mare Island in Vallejo; Naval Air Stations Alameda and 
Moffett Field in Mountain View; Naval Station Treasure Island in San 
Francisco, the Fleet Industrial Supply Center in Oakland, the Concord 
Naval Weapons Depot in Concord, Tustin and El Toro Marine Corps Air 
Bases and the 39th Street Naval Training Facility in San Diego. Fort 
Ord and the Presidio Army Base had members participating in the 
California Caucus as did Castle, McClellan, Edwards and Norton Air 
Force bases.

Among the accomplishments of the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area 
RAB Community Member Caucus and California RAB Caucus are:

>obtaining the agreement of the Navy's Engineering and Facilities 
Activity West to allow the participation of RAB members in Base Cleanup 
Team and Remedial Managers meetings; and
> obtaining the agreement of the California Environmental Protection 
Agency to expand its Base Closures Environmental Advisory Group to 
include more RAB representation.

The California RAB Caucus meetings were concurrent with the 
tri-annular meetings of the Cal EPA Base Closures Environmental 
Advisory Group, California's version of the DERTF. From 1995 to the 
end of 1996, the Caucus exerted a growing influence on the cleanup 
process in California. Unfortunately, the Defense Department cut the 
funding for California's base cleanup program which in turn forced the 
Cal EPA to cut the funding for the Advisory Group. 

B. ENVISIONING A NATIONAL CAUCUS

With the demise of the Cal EPA Base Closures Environmental Advisory 
Group, many in the Caucus felt that it was most important to organize 
a national caucus. The thinking was that while a good deal could be 
done on a local and Statewide level, the problems regarding base 
cleanup policy were mostly at the national level and so a national 
network of RAB members might be more effective. 

Like the California RAB Caucus our vision was that a national caucus 
would focus, in part, on the Defense Environmental Restoration Task 
Force (DERTF). The DERTF meeting offered an important forum for RAB 
members to participate in. Issues such as Dirty Transfer, RAB 
sunsetting, RAB guidance, Institutional Controls, UXO and Health Risk 
Assessments are discussed there. Although the meetings are open to 
the public no one had attempted previously to bring RAB Community 
members to it. Although RAB members are the members of the public 
with the most direct exposure to the DoD local cleanup program, only 
two RAB community members spoke at the DERTF meeting in Anniston 
Alabama. Despite the impacts the DoD policies discussed at the DERTF 
meetings have on the environment and public health, the meetings have 
a significant lack of grounding in the community interests their 
decisions affect. Bringing RAB community members to DERTF would 
provide sobering input to the discussions and more practical solutions 
to ma ny of the problems DoD is encountering in cleanup. 

To implement the proposal, Arc set about fundraising to get that 
process going. In the spring of this year, Arc received funding from 
the Ottinger and Town Creek Foundations to begin organizing. 

5. A WORD ABOUT ARC ECOLOGY

Arc Ecology is a public interest nonprofit organization focused on the 
impacts of the military on the environment, economy and international 
security. Arc Ecology has been involved in the military toxics and 
base cleanup issue since 1984. Arc Ecology has a technical staff and 
volunteers are made up of environmental scientists, economist 
planners, and community organizers. Arc is represented on six RABs in 
the San Francisco Bay Area and works with many more around the 
country. Arc also provides technical support to grassroots base 
cleanup campaigns in the Philippines, England, Wales, Scotland and Okinawa. 

6. SUMMARY: GET INVOLVED WITH THE CAUCUS

For RAB community members concerned about their RABs and the outcome 
of the cleanup of military bases, the February Caucus and DERTF 
meetings offer an opportunity to come together, develop strategies and 
make our issues known. It offers a real and direct way for RAB 
members to begin to affect national policy while working in a 
positive, supportive and educational Caucus environment. It offers 
an opportunity to build an ongoing, substantive network of RAB 
community members that will provide the resources to succeed at home 
and to coordinate to succeed nationally. 

Hope to see you there.