INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY PROVISION TIED IN KNOTS

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY PROVISION TIED IN KNOTS

Earlier this year the Department of Defense proposed language in the
Defense Authorization bill, which would have given it the authority to
enter into partnerships with private firms to demonstrate innovative
environmental technologies. The provision would have been a key element
in an evolving strategic approach to overcoming the inertia - the use of
"tried and true" technologies - built into cleanup and other
environmental programs.

The provision survived, but the Senate Armed Service Committee staff
added language which will severely constrict the Defense Department's
ability to fund such technology demonstrations. Apparently, they felt
that without the new language the provision would be a Defense subsidy
to non-Defense industry.

In addition to requiring that the Defense Department prepare a mound of
paperwork before approving private sector environmental partnerships,
the new language would require:

1) that private firms compete to participate;

2) that non-Defense participants match Defense funding, with no credit
for in-kind contributions or pre-existing investment; and

3) that the Defense Department formally find both A) that the technology
being demonstrated would not be developed without Defense funding and B)
that it would be of significant value at numerous Defense cleanup sites.

That last combination may be particularly difficult to prove. If there's
a significant market, private developers are likely eventually to bring
innovative technologies to the point of acceptance, but it make take
them a lot longer if they can't find the type of support envisioned in
the original legislation.

Pentagon environmental lawyers and staff are reviewing this provision,
trying to come up with ways to make the program useful despite the
constraints.

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