Ship Scrapping Public Meeting

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

The following News Release announces a public meeting on ship scrapping
programs (primarily Navy). This meeting will take place Thursday, March
5, 1998 from 1 to 4 pm (EST) at the Sheraton City Centre, 1143 New
Hampshire, N.W., Washington, DC.

At the website listed below you can access further information about
this panel.

Aimee Houghton
CAREER/PRO
****************************************************************

News Release
February 23, 1998

 Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense
 Public Affairs
 Washington, DC 20301

 No. 079-98
 (703)695-0192(media)
(703)697-5737(public/industry)

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CALLS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON SHIP
 SCRAPPING PROGRAMS

The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental
Security is leading an interagency panel to review the Department of
Navy and U.S. Maritime Administration programs to scrap vessels.
Scrapping vessels presents many challenges due to the complexity of
ships, and the environmental and safety issues associated with scrapping
them. The goal of the panel is to ensure that vessels are scrapped in a
cost-effective and commercially feasible manner that is fully protective

of worker health and safety as well as the environment.

The Panel will evaluate the adequacy of the process and, as necessary,
make recommendations for improvement. It will review the process and
procedures in place and in development for scrapping ships, from
preparing ships for scrapping through final closure of contracting
actions. The panel of senior environment, safety and occupational health
experts will present the results of their review to the Under Secretary
of Defense for Acquisition and Technology on March 31, 1998.

Members of the public can provide comments via an electronic web site,
by mail, by fax or at a public meeting to be held March 5, in
Washington, D.C. The web site also provides information about the panel.

Public comments can be submitted and viewed at www.denix.osd.mil.
Comments may also be submitted by mail or FAX to the panel chair:

Ms. Patricia A. Rivers
ODUSD(ES)/CL
3400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-3400
FAX: (703) 697-7413

The panel will host a public meeting to receive input from interested
parties from 1 to 4 p.m. (EST), Thursday, March 5, 1998, at the Sheraton
City Centre, 1143 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. Panel
members will not provide individual responses to written or spoken
comments, but will gather the information provided and consider it in
their deliberations while developing the report.

Those who would like to attend this meeting are urged to pre-register by
March 2, 1998, by contacting Francine Pivinski at SciComm, Inc. (301)
652-1900. Walk-in participants who wish to make statements will be
provided an opportunity as time permits.

A series of questions will be posted on the web site to help guide
feedback to the panel. All comments are welcome, but the panel will be
particularly interested in hearing from the public in these areas.