[CPEO-MEF] Camp Bonneville deadline

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

The Army appears to be twisting the arm of Clark County, Washington
supervisors to get them to accept the early transfer of Camp Bonneville
before fiscal year 2003. While "use it or lose it" is generally true
with any federal expenditure, it's my understanding the BRAC (base
realignment and closure) money remains available even after the end of
the fiscal year. The Army may choose not to "buy out" its cleanup
obligation at Camp Bonneville if it can't strike a deal with the County,
but it is not legally prevented from conducting a later buy-out or
doling out funds, piecemeal, on an Army-led cleanup.

After checking with a number of parties at Camp Bonneville, I remain
convinced that the site is not adequately characterized to complete an
early transfer. The extent of unexploded ordnance and explosive
constituent contamination is not fully known, so handing over
responsibility to the County is likely to cause trouble down the road.

Instead of pressuring Clark County to take over Camp Bonneville before
the site has been adequately characterized and key cleanup decisions are
made, the Army should re-affirm its original promises to clean the
property to a level that will support the reuse plan developed by the County.

Lenny

***

Clark County may miss land transfer deadline 

08/07/03
The Oregonian
FOSTER CHURCH 

VANCOUVER -- After spending eight years trying to negotiate an agreement
with the U.S. Army to acquire Camp Bonneville and create a 3,020-acre
park, Clark County is running out of time. 

The FBI, which in May expressed interest in the camp as a training
range, has withdrawn its bid. Now it wants only the small portion of
land it uses in the center of the camp. But FBI interest slowed
negotiations to a degree that the Army's Sept. 30 transfer deadline
could be missed. 

"They have wasted too much time on the FBI deal," said Barry Rogowski,
federal facilities supervisor for the Washington Department of Ecology.
"There is no way they can make it." 

...

For the entire story, see
http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/metro_north_news/10602583657430.xml?oregonian?nn
If the link doesn't work because it's wrapped, cut and paste it into
your browser.
-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org

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