[CPEO-MEF] Badger Advisors vote to change by-laws

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

At its March 5, 2001 meeting, the community members of the Badger
Environmental Board of Advisors (BEBA) reluctantly voted to modify its
by-laws to meet Army requirements for continuing funding and recognition
as the Restoration Advisory Board for the mothballed Badger Army
Ammunition Plant, in Baraboo, Wisconsin. The BEBA was formed in 1993
before the Army issued its original RAB guidance, and Army officials
have repeatedly stated their desire to bring the Board into conformance
with its current policies. At a November 27, 2000 meeting, the Board
unanimously rejected the Army's demands.

However, faced with loss of recognition, the Board reversed itself March
5, voting to initiate the process to amend its bylaws to:

1) add a military co-chair to the board;

2) add the Ho-Chunk Indian nation, which hopes to obtain surplus
property from the facility as it closes, as a voting member;

3) state that all members are treated as equal and remove language
defining officials as ex-officio;

4) state that the scope of the RAB is to deal with environmental
restoration issues only.

Board members warned that it is critical that the BEBA be seen an
independent voice to maintain credibility. And they pointed out that the
board has never discussed land use except as it affected environmental
restoration. Despite their frustration, they appear determined to
continue overseeing the Army's cleanup program at the plant. Laura Olah,
who represents Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger on the BEBA, said,
"We have work to do on critical cleanup issues that are much more
important than this."


 

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Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/968-1126
lsiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org

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