Re: [CPEO-MEF] Us vs Them

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

[POSTED BY Ian Ray <Ihray@aol.com>]

Ted Henry piques the passions of conscientious RABs.  He writes - <<

> battle lines are being drawn>>  In my experience (5 - 6 years) of LRA
> - BRAC - RAB, the "battle lines" existed the first day - it's not
> new.  The community and RAB members had their ideas like
> "mothballing," protecting their turf, resisting the reuse plan. The
> concept of "cleanup" had to be learned.  The army and the regulators
> agreed on very little.

Two EE/CAs were produced in tandem before site characterization and both
were rejected.  UXO and toxic groundwater were found as soon as a
magnetometer showed up and a well was drilled.  Today, 6 years and
$6,000,000 later, yet another "plan" for site characterization is in the
works as months and years go by with no significant action.

There's hope that an Agreed Order under discussion will be agreeable.
But it's already under time extensions signalling further disputes -
unknown to the RAB.

The RAB, designed to be impotent, and having learned their place,
advises to influence an efficient cleanup.  But the RAB is not in a
position to settle disputes among the army and the regulators.  The
failure is among the hierarchy who allow the waste - local LRA, the
army, EPA, and state Ecology.  Such a "committee" has no single
functioning boss and just muddles through.

As far as I know, frustrated communities and RABs, witnessing the
disfunction, can go to higher authority for some supervision of the
disputing parties.  Does that work or are there other ways?  I'd like to
know.

See www.campbonneville.info and offer your comments

Ian Ray @ Camp Bonneville, WA RAB

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