CITIZEN'S MONITORING AND TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT FUND

[bstedman@resolv.org]

CITIZEN'S MONITORING AND TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT FUND
UPDATE, SEPTEMBER 29, 1999

NOTE:  Please forward the following announcement to other groups and
individuals concerned with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites and the
nuclear weapons complex.

Background

As part of a 1998 court settlement between DOE and 39 plaintiffs
(nonprofit peace and environmental groups around the country), a $6.25
million Citizens' Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (Fund) was
established to "provide monies to eligible organizations ... to procure
technical and scientific assistance to perform technical and scientific
reviews and analyses of environmental management activities at DOE
sites.  Monies from the Fund may also be used to support the
dissemination of the technical and scientific reviews and analyses
undertaken with monies from the Fund. Monies from the Fund will not be
used to conduct litigation, lobbying or fundraising." 

The Fund represents an opportunity for citizen groups, tribes, and
others to conduct their own research and monitoring of DOE activities at
sites throughout the country.  The Fund also represents a opportunity
for citizens' groups, tribes, and the organization administering the
fund to develop new approaches for community-based research that also
may be applicable to other environmental issues and problems. 

The administering organization for the Fund is RESOLVE, Inc., a
non-profit dispute resolution organization, with a special focus on
environmental issues and offices in Washington, DC, and Portland,
Oregon. 

Next Steps and Schedule

RESOLVE and a Transition Committee of plaintiffs and non-plaintiffs have
created an Advisory Board that will work with RESOLVE in guiding the use
of the Fund.  RESOLVE will also continue to seek advice and input from
other organizations and government agencies concerned with DOE site
clean up issues.

The Advisory Board and RESOLVE are scheduling a first meeting for
mid-November.   Requirements for making requests to the MTA Fund will be
available by the end of November.  A detailed announcement will be made
at that time.

Further Information

For further information, please call the MTA Fund at 202-965-6212 
or send a fax to 202-338-1264.  
The MTA Fund email address is <mta-fund@resolv.org>.

Bruce J. Stedman, Senior Mediator 
RESOLVE, Inc.   
1255 23rd Street NW, Suite 275
Washington, DC 20037
office: 202-965-6217  facsimile: 202-338-1264   
<bstedman@resolv.org>