[CPEO-MEF] DOE facilities to be closed under military base closure process?

[loc@icx.net]

This is an interesting development.  Considering the nature and extent
of contamination on DOE facilities, I would be interested to see how the
Administration proposes to accomplish cleanup under the base closure
process.

--Susan Gawarecki

On Monday, August 5, Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) wrote:

OMB looking at closing or realigning DOE facilities as part of the
military base closure process.

ECA has been informed by administration officials that the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) is looking at ways to decrease US excess
defense facilities -- labs, DOE facilities, etc. -- as part of its just
released military base closure legislation.  The administration's idea
is for each federal agency that has defense missions and excess capacity
to look at closing or realigning functions.  In the past, DOE has closed
or
realigned facilities through negotiations with Congressional delegations
and has not required special legislation to take actions.  However, DOE
has been unable to close or realign specific facilities - including
national labs -- because of the interest in the labs by Congressional
members.

OMB is looking at the possibility of adding non-military facilities to
the military base closure process equation because the base closure
process is looked at by Congress as a way to have an independent
committee make recommendations on closures, the President would
approve/disapprove all of the facilities as group and than Congress
would either approve/disapprove of the whole list.  The administration
and Congressional bills have set forth three different military base
closure models -- all starting in 2003 (after the mid-term Congressional
elections).

Adding non-military bases to the base closure legislation could end
support for the legislation on Capitol Hill.  However, it could also be
a provision added the bill if the legislation is close to passage in the
Conference committee.  It is critical that we watch OMB's actions during
the August recess and into September/October for movement on the idea.
ECA has not spoken to anyone in Congress about this issue -- only
administration staff.

The general military base closure process is as follows (from past
rounds - the administration introduced a slightly different process on
Thursday - however the final legislation is expected to look like the
past legislation with modifications):

- President Nominates 8 Commissioners (both Majority and Minority
leaders of the House and Senate nominate people to the
President)--January 2003
- Senate Confirms the Commissioners
- Secretary of Defense, after analysis of each military base delivers
recommendations to the Commission--March 2003
- Commission conducts hearings around the country--ends around June 2003
- Commission delivers recommendations to the President and the President
approves/disapproves of the process--July 2003
- If rejected, the Commission shall provide revised recommendations--the
President can end the process at this point by rejecting a second time.
- President transmits his recommendations to Congress and Congress
approves/disapproves--if not approved process ends--September 2003
- Recommendations Initiated within 2 Years and Completed in 6 Years

This is at least a wake up to call to the sites and the communities
about the Administration's plans to cut excess facilities.   In addition
to the looking at the OMB proposal, communities must also be aware that
within DOE, the new administration's push is to excess (get rid of or
transfer) its excess facilities -- either way over the next couple of
months we will begin to see DOE acting to shrink the number of
facilities/acres of land that it owns at a pace that we have not seen
since the 1990s.

On Tuesday, August 6, ECA wrote:

This is a follow-up to this morning's Monday Update [see above message]:

The Administration has put forth a proposal for another round of Base
Closures and Realignments, entitled the 'Efficient Facilities
Initiative' (EFI)
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2001/d20010803efileg.pdf.   Under the
Administration's EFI, Department of Energy sites are included in the
Base Closure process.

Within the legislation (see link above--page 7, section (6)(B)), the
term 'military installation' is defined as:

"(B) The term 'military installation' also includes any facility under
the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy or any other Federal agency
that supports the mission of, or is located within, adjacent to, or
operated in conjunction or coordination with, an installation under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Defense within the meaning of
subparagraph (A) above. The Secretary of Defense may not include such a
facility in the published and transmitted list of military installations
that the Secretary recommends for closure or realignment under section
2903(c) unless, after prior consultation, the head of the agency that
has jurisdiction over the
facility has concurred in writing with the Secretary's recommendation."

....

Please note:  The Administration's proposal has not been officially
introduced in either the House or Senate, and therefore does not have a
bill number at this time.
--
.....................................................
Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee
                       -----
A schedule of meetings on DOE issues is posted on our Web site
http://www.local-oversight.org/meetings.html - E-mail loc@icx.net
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